Project Frankenstein
by DeletedAccountNotChangingMind
Summary: Research Log of Doctor Kagome Higurashi on Project Frankenstein. Subject Name: Inuyasha. Current Status: In Progress.
1. Preliminary Log

**Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to Inuyasha**

...

**Project Frankenstein **

**By: Sombra112**

**Preliminary Log**

Project Frankenstein initiated 1-1-20XX

Lead biological engineer: Higurashi, Kagome.

Assistant Biological engineer: Onigumo, Naraku

Chemist: Onigumo, Kagura

Anatomy and Physiology expert: Onigumo, Kanna

Day 1:

Today begins the day of creating a superhuman sub-species of human. Subject will be completely compatible with humans in all biological and sociological areas. Subject will be complete mix of human and canine DNA. Canine being the chosen DNA because the domestication of dogs has led to them being more suitable for the sub-species mix.

DNA from _canis lupus familiaris_ was extracted from a group male specimen earlier. DNA from human females with multiple blood types and backgrounds was also collected. Today was a simple extract and store day. Initial experimentation to begin tomorrow.

Day 14:

Initial experimentation shows complete inability for two species to reproduce. First three batches of mixed DNA yielded no results.

Harvesting of _homo sapien_ and _canis lupus familiaris_ gametes have begun along with a number of stem cells from each species.

So far, all attempts at joining them have ended in failure.

Day32:

Dr. Onigumo, Kagura, has managed to break into the DNA sequencing code. With this break, we can get inside and alternate to our desired specifications. Our first attempt to combine them in this fashion has led to failure and complete meltdown of the double helix structure. More caution to be exercised in the future.

Day 95:

Success! Finally, after months of trying, we have managed to successfully combine the two different DNA sequences.

Log must be short, can't leave the DNA for long. Must be constantly monitored.

Day 97:

Again, complete meltdown of double helix structure. Instability set approx 6 hours after combination. Complete destruction, 43 hours after combination. We have begun searching for a way to 'glue' the structure together.

Day 159:

Success! Dr. Kagura has found a way to meld the DNA together. An unexpected result of which is that the DNA structure has became three times as stable as our own. DNA has held together for 73 hours and no signs of instability. We'll keep it under observation for another 23 hours before attempting to move forward in our experimentation.

Day 254:

Finally! Good news at last. After months of trying we have finally managed to create, from our single strand of human-dog hybrid DNA, a fully functional cell. I'm so excited I can't breath! The blood cell, for it is a blood cell, must be kept under observation for at least 48 hours. Hopefully this is a sign that not all of our efforts have been wasted!

Day365:

Our one year anniversary of the Frankenstein Project has brought with it even more good news! The three sets of sperm and egg gametes we managed to produce have ALL fertilized. This is great news. Our sub-species will be able to reproduce within its own species.

Preliminary testing shows that, given a hybrid egg and human sperm, the sperm will not pierce the egg. However, in a case of human egg and hybrid sperm, sperm have penetrated the egg in under half the time as normal. As my mother would say, 'like a hot knife through butter'.

However, these cases did not survive long. Dr. Naraku insisted on killing them as they were not what we desired. He stated that it was our job to make them compatible with humans theoretically, not actually do it.

The fertilized eggs of our hybrid species will be closely monitored.

Day 455:

All fertilized eggs dead approx 5 hours after fertilization.

Day 489:

Of our recent batch of fertilized hybrid eggs, only 4 have survived of the 12. Initial stages of cell mitosis is going well. Each egg now holds over 30 individual cells. More observation is needed.

Day 490:

All embryos dead after 96 hours.

Day 502:

Half of the fertilized eggs have survived initial stages of cell reproduction. Cells seem to be dividing faster than human. More observation needed.

Day 506:

16 days after fertilization and only 3 embryos remain alive. Have already evolved into fetuses. Cell division is proceeding at an exceptionally fast rate yet no instability in the remaining three has been detected. All fetuses are male, they have developed so fast we are able to tell even at this early stage of life.

Day 507:

I demand that Naraku be fired! He has killed all 3 remaining fetuses believing that they are 'growing too fast'. He believes that they will die too quickly. If he dips anymore of my subjects in bleach I'll dip him in acid!

Day 650:

I have locked my single remaining fetus in a safe. Naraku, again convinced that the fetuses are growing too fast, has killed the other 4. I will keep constant watch on this remaining fetus and never allow him near it.

All five of the last batch were, just as the last two batches were, completely male. This leads me to believe that this hybrid species not only will be able to breed with us but will have to in order to perpetuate their race.

So far, all vitals are fine. Heartbeat is slightly faster than normal but there have been no problems thus far.

Day680:

This is the best thing to happen to modern medicine ever! Our remaining fetus was taken away from his placenta earlier today. All of us, besides Naraku, were worried whether his body would be able to survive outside of the amniotic sac. However, our worries were for nothing as the baby, as he is a baby after so short a time, was crying and making a fuss.

Physically, the boy is an even mix of human and canine. It is unclear how much he resembles either so far.

Physical attributes:

Hair: silver

Eyes: gold

Length: 53.6 cm

Weight: 6087 g Self Note: this is a much larger number than a common newborn. Check into this.

Sex: M

Abnormality from human appearance: Longer canines, claws on the fingers, and two triangle dog ears atop his head in place of human ears beside it.

Initial testing to begin tomorrow.

Day 692:

Test subject still shows no outward signs of intelligence. However, he is growing extremely fast and, physically, he is already much stronger than any of us on the team.

Measurements of tibia and humorous would put him at least 2 years of age instead of 12 days. This speeded up growth is making Naraku anxious. He says that the subject will be of little or no use if it lives only a few months. However I tell him that dogs grow out of puppyhood within a year. This sub-species is completely unknown, we can make no assumptions about anything.

Strength, physically, is incredible. Already, the toddler sized boy is running around the labs. He is extremely fast so it makes it hard to catch him. Not to mention his strength which is easily greater than that of even the guards, with whom he plays at times.

However, mentally he shows not much improvement. He is trainable, like a puppy, but seems to only understand small words and phrases. Also, he doesn't speak himself.

On my suggestion of naming him, Naraku immediately protested. He accused me of getting 'too close' to the subject and that at any moment his cells may fail and become instable.

I generally tell him to shove it up his ass and continue to request that he be removed from the project.

Day 762:

While the subject is only a few months old, he has the body of a 9 year old.

We have discovered that, despite being so small, he weighs easily 200 pounds. Closer inspection of his muscle structure reveals that his muscles cells are much more tightly compact than ours. His muscles are no larger than that of a typical 9 year old however they are stronger than that of a full grown man.

Body temperature averages around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. So far, he seems completely immune to every disease common to humans. We still cannot give him immunizations as we are unsure how they will react with his body.

Speed test was administered this morning. He was faster by 3 mph from last week's test. Now he runs at a steady 75.6 mph without showing any strain on the body other than that of an average jogger.

Strength test will be have to be pushed back again as the new machine has still not arrived since he broke the last one last week.

Naraku is still opposed to the idea of giving him a name, however I have decided on one. I shall call him, at least in private, Inuyasha.

Day: 874:

Inuyasha has reached full maturity, at least physically. We measures his tibia and humorous again today, as we have been doing everyday recently. It shows that growth has not only slowed down, but seems to have reverted to a normal human pace. No one is sure how long his life span will be, but he has stopped growing as fast as he has been. Current, physical age: 26. One physical year older than myself.

He weighs a mind-blowing 563.9 pounds. It comes from his denser bones and his much thicker and stronger muscle mass.

And still, no extraordinary brain activity. He still doesn't speak, though he does understand simple commands. EEGs and CAT scans have shown no increased brain function in the frontal lobe. It is possible that he may never reach the same mental capabilities as a human. Naraku seems pleased by this.

Lately, Inuyasha has been exhibiting odd behavior. Much like a dog, he has become fiercely loyal to me, most likely because I deal with him the most. He seems very unhappy when Naraku approaches me. This may be because he, as dogs are known to do with their owners, senses my distress around him and he reacts.

Another speed test was performed today. He topped out at 106.92 mph and showed no negative physical effect. He wasn't even breathing hard. Strength tests have been canceled for the foreseen future as he has, once again, broken the machine.

He needs attention as any creature does. He enjoys fetch with the tennis ball I bought him. Tug-of-war with a rope is no good anymore as he wins without trying and he likes chewing on things. However, like a human child, he enjoys story time, which I perform every night before bed. He likes movies and dancing to music. He has shown no preference in music genres however heavy rock does make him flatten his ears. It might be too painful for his sensitive hearing.

Day 876:

We preformed a simple sniff test today. We had him smell an article of clothing then hid it in a room. We let him in the room with instructions to find it. He did so without hesitation. The test was repeated several times with different things.

The last test we had him sniff out was cocaine but hid none in the room to see how he would react. He led us to the guards locker room where we discovered 5 grams in a man's locker. The guard has been fired. For a treat, I bought Inuyasha steak, he enjoyed it.

He has became even more attached to me, I'm beginning to think he thinks of me as the human in a typical human/dog relationship. Personally, I adore him. Naraku sees him as a thing, Kagura as something to do to pass the time, and who knows what Kanna thinks! However, I find him charming and sweet.

Others have told me that, when I leave, he shows the typical signs of separation anxiety found in puppies. This makes me think that, despite his body being that of a full grown man, his mind has yet to catch up. He's not even a year old yet. Hopefully soon, he'll be able to perform simple mind puzzles. I bring him things like that daily but he has yet to respond. He does, however, understand basic science experiment rules. I'm not sure the repercussions this will have but it is what it is.

Day 880:

I have been suspended for the next week. No contact with Inuyasha is permitted, I'm not even aloud in the lab. That's what I get for telling Naraku where he can shove it while simultaneously punching him in the throat. I'm tired of the way he treats Inuyasha but the bosses like him more than me.

Day 883:

Much like a dog, Inuyasha became sulky after I left. He refused to eat, refused to play, refused to take his tests. So, with no other option, the bosses called me back. Inuyasha made me sit on his couch with him and watch movies all day. I didn't get a bit of work done.

Day 904:

Inuyasha follows me around the lab now. Ever since those three days I left he has not left me alone. He follows me all the way up until bedtime. Then, if I try to leave, he will hear me and come after me. Because of this, I have moved into the lab with him. Naraku was, naturally, against it. However, I told him, without any fear of repercussion as Inuyasha is completely uncooperative without me, where he could shove it, where his mother could shove it, where his two creepy sisters could shove it, and exactly what they could shove.

They weren't happy but it made me feel better.

Day 952:

Mental tests were today's focus. He would not keep still long enough for the tests to be conducted. Therefore, no reliable results could be gathered.

Naraku has taken to calling me the bitch and takes every opportunity to insult me. Inuyasha, on the other hand, now takes every opportunity to growl at Naraku.

Still no speech from Inuyasha.

Day 982:

Despite our best efforts, Inuyasha refuses to speak. Inspection of his vocal cords show no abnormalities. He neither makes human sounds nor does he bark. He does, however, growl. This leads me to assume he barks, if he ever did bark. However, nothing has been proven.

Naraku maintains the belief that Inuyasha is, in fact, a simpleton. I however, believe otherwise. There are times when I look at him and I see a keen intelligence behind his eyes. He's still so young, but I have faith in him.

Day1040:

Our three year anniversary is in five days. To celebrate, the primary funder of the project is coming to visit Inuyasha and see what his money has created. And, of course, see that its to his liking. I'm uncomfortable with this as Inuyasha is not an animal in a zoo, however he is providing the money for this experiment. And I can't say no.

However, I'm feeling very…restless lately. I keep telling myself its nothing but, as if he were in tune to my emotions, Inuyasha seems to notice.

I'm going to delete this log book, erase it forever. All my formulas and equations and, how it sounds so awful, recipes. I want no one to ever do anything like what has been done to Inuyasha. Life, even genetically created, should be free. And I feel terrible that it has taken me this long to realize it. And now, it's too late to change it.

Final log of Dr Kagome Higurashi on the Frankenstein Project.


	2. Log 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to Inuyasha**

...

**Log 1**

It was warm and comfortable when Kagome woke up. It was always warm and comfortable when she woke up lately.

She looked down and smiled.

He was just like a puppy, in action if not appearance. Inuyasha, physically, was a full grown man. Kagome knew, because she had chosen them herself, that his genes were nearly perfect. His body was lean but well muscled, muscles that she knew held much more power than anything she had seen before. He stood over her at a towering 6'5", yet the canine in him usually treated her with respect. Like a wolf would its alpha male. His sculpted nose rested above his chiseled mouth and strong chin. His eyelashes were dark black that contrasted splendidly with his gold eyes. Eyes that should have clashed with his brilliantly gleaming silver hair but they didn't. His hair was like moonbeams and Kagome didn't have the heart to cut it. As a result, his hair was longer than hers. And nestled within the locks of platinum, were two triangular dog ears. They were fuzzy and delicate and, much like a real canines, they reflected Inuyasha's mood.

She reached down and began stroking one. A deep rumbling started in his chest, almost like a purr.

Just like her cat had done when she lived with her mom, Inuyasha slept with her. His head rested on her stomach like it was a pillow. He had one arm across her waist so she couldn't leave without waking him. The long length of his body stayed pressed to her keeping her warm and cozy.

"Inuyasha, time to get up." she said sweetly.

There were no windows in Inuyasha's room. But the artificial lights in the ceiling were programmed to slowly increase in power so as to mimic the real sunrise outside. Right now, they were at about one-fourth full power so it was still pretty early. But Inuyasha's eyes still narrowed at the brightness when he opened them.

His room was very simple as rooms go. Centered against the far wall was his bed with stark white sheets and blankets. It had been a twin until Kagome moved in. Then it had been upgraded to a king. The walls and ceiling and floor all made of a special reinforced steel that `provided resistance against Inuyasha's great strength. That was necessary as this room was also where he played sometimes. There was a bright yellow tennis ball in a corner from their game last night. Beside it was the door. Kagome always felt like she was in a sci-fi film with that door because it slid open into the wall when you approached. And, though you couldn't see it now, their closet was also in this room. With a press of a button, it would slid from the wall and present their clothes to them.

"Come on. Get up." Kagome tried to sit up but Inuyasha's grip tightened rebelliously and kept her there. She laughed. "I know. I don't want to move either but we have to. Our boss is coming today,"

He turned his head and nuzzled his face into her belly.

"-and we have to do your tests before he gets here."

His nuzzling stopped as he looked up at her, mutiny in his eyes. But she was used to it. Inuyasha was not a morning hybrid.

"Come on. If we get up now we might get to the lab before Naraku does."

Reluctantly, it was always reluctantly, he let her go.

Kagome sat up on the side of the bed and stretched.

A second later, she felt Inuyasha's tongue licking her shoulder. She turned and smiled at his cute, puppy-like antics. It was his typical morning greeting.

He suddenly smiled and jumped from the bed. His white sleeping pants was all he wore to bed. He wasn't all that fond of shirts, or shoes when it came right down to it. A second later, he was back, ball in his hands.

"No. We have to work this morning." Kagome laughed. She also wore a pair of white stretch pants along with a white spaghetti strap shirt. In her opinion, this compound was entirely too stark. She understood the need for sterilization but did that mean they couldn't have any color at all. Inuyasha had only ever enjoyed black, white, and all the shades of gray in between. He liked watching the greens and reds on the computer screens but that was really the extent of his knowledge of color.

It was no wonder his mental processes had not really advanced.

Kagome walked to the wall and pushed a small button that almost blended into the wall. Immediately, a panel separated itself and slid out of the wall like a drawer from a filing cabinet.

Before she could grab something to wear, however, she felt something on her shoulder.

She turned and saw Inuyasha's hand still holding the ball.

Knowing she couldn't resist him, she laughed and took it. "Alright, but one throw only."

Inuyasha grinned, showing off the gleaming fangs in his mouth.

"Ready?" Kagome asked as she drew back her arm.

His eyes watched her with complete seriousness.

"Fetch!" Kagome threw her arm forward and Inuyasha shot like a bullet from a gun.

However, the ball hadn't left Kagome's hands.

She turned and pretended to throw again.

Inuyasha hit the far wall and jumped off it with one powerful thrust and headed in the new direction.

Kagome threw again. This time, she did launch the ball. It flew hard and fast because you couldn't just toss a ball for Inuyasha. It hit the wall, bounced off and ricocheted toward the ceiling. But it never made contact because Inuyasha, using the same trick as before, used the wall as a spring board. He pushed off and caught the ball in mid-air.

"Nice catch." Kagome laughed. Despite his massive size, as those powerful muscles weighed a lot, he still landed with all the grace of a cat with barely a sound. "Alright. Let's get dressed."

It was Kagome's habit to shower at night. It gave her hair time to dry naturally, she loved sliding into clean sheets with a clean body, and she needed extra time for Inuyasha in the morning.

Like most dogs, Inuyasha hated bath time. The first few times she had bathed him when he had been little, he had thrown a fit. So she turned it into a game. A game they played every morning.

She pulled on her standard issue, white, one piece bathing suit and Inuyasha gleefully climbed into his white, standard issue swim trunks. Then she led him to a room that had been modified for just this purpose. There were a series of drains in the floor and a water hose with multiple nozzles. Everything was water proof and, mostly, Inuyasha proof.

"All right, big boy." Kagome said affectionately as she turned on the water in the hose. His ears twitched in excitement when he heard the water start. "Ready…se-et…"

His muscles jerked in anticipation.

"Go!"

Kagome opened fire but Inuyasha had already jumped out of the way. She chased him with the water as he jumped and dodged and avoided the spray.

The walls and floor became soaked and that made it harder for Inuyasha as everything became slippery.

She stopped shooting and Inuyasha paused, looking at her.

"Damn it, Kagome."

She giggled and Inuyasha growled softly.

Standing in the open door, now soaking wet, was Dr. Naraku Onigumo.

"All you ever do is play with that mutt." he glared as he started wringing his lab coat out.

"We're not playing." Kagome said. "It's bath time."

"So give him a bath and stop screwing around." he muttered. "Did you forget what today was? Huh?"

"I remember." Kagome rolled her eyes. She felt the warmth of Inuyasha's naturally higher body temperature on her back and knew he had moved behind her. "We don't want Inuyasha to stink for our guest, do we?"

"Then stop playing ridiculous games and get to business. He should be able to bath himself by now."

"He's still a puppy." Kagome protested as she reached her hand behind her. Almost immediately, she felt Inuyasha slip his into hers.

"He is not." Naraku rolled his eyes. "He's not a puppy anymore by dog standards nor is he child like in any way by human standards. Except mentally of course." he sneered at Kagome's frown. He knew it bugged her to no end when he questioned Inuyasha's intelligence.

"He is so still a puppy." she said unhappily. "You forgot, he's still part human. Human's aren't geniuses by his age."

"No, but at least they can talk." he smirked. "Admit it. Your precious experiment is a complete buffoon."

"You don't know anything!" Kagome cried. Behind her, Inuyasha leaned forward to lick her neck. His way of comforting her.

"See, you spoil him. He's merely an experiment. He can be replaced. And, for that matter, so can you."

"Try it." she dared. "See how far your research goes without me. I was brought in because you and your team could produce no results. I managed to do in three years what it took you ten to fail at."

Naraku's jaw hardened at the truth in her words.

"Inuyasha is mine! I'll raise him how I see fit." she finished stubbornly.

Naraku laughed once. "He doesn't need any more raising. In case you haven't noticed, he's already full grown."

"Oh, what do you know?" she glared at him. "Get out! Go away!"

"Oh, so the little princess doesn't like hearing the truth." Naraku chuckled darkly. "Well, here's some more facts for you, my little science prodigy. No matter how invaluable you think you are, you can always be replaced. And if you don't start treating me with more respect, you'll find yourself in more trouble than you can think your way out of."

"Is that a threat?" Kagome asked through clenched teeth. "Because I think you'll find I have a great body guard."

"A guard dog, you mean." Naraku looked at Inuyasha with a strange mix of triumph and contempt. "Now hurry up and get him ready. I wont have any of your nonsense games while the owner's here."

Knowing it was childish but wanting some kind of satisfaction, Kagome stuck her tongue out at him as he walked away.

XxXxXxX

"Excellent work, Naraku." Kikyo purred in delight. "He looks marvelous." Her rep painted nails and smooth hands browsed through the pictures of experiment 627. His picture had been taken from all sides and profile showing her a complete view of what her money had created.

"He's perfect." Naraku said. "Exactly what we wanted. All brawns, no brains. And he becomes extremely loyal to one person. This model is useless as his loyalty is to that Kagome but his descendents will be loyal only to you."

"Perfect." Kikyo licked her lips in anticipation. Loyal bodyguards were so hard to find and cost so much. One that worked for little more than a doggy biscuit would be a welcome change. And, oh how easier an army of these would make running her organization. "And speaking of Kagome, what does she know?"

"Nothing." Naraku smirked in satisfaction as they walked down the halls of the labs.

XxXxXxX

"Come on, big boy." Kagome said putting down the hairbrush. "You are officially perfect. Let's go greet the person responsible for this whole project."

Inuyasha jumped to her side and grinned wide. He was so sweet it was giving Kagome cavities. "Oh, I do love you." Kagome and kissed the tip of his nose. There was nothing in the world like being loved by Inuyasha. So innocently and so devotedly. He never lied and he never manipulated. He loved unconditionally and would do anything for her. It was humbling and yet so empowering. She felt like she could do anything for him.

Kagome grabbed his hand and led him out of the bathroom and on the way to the labs. The person funding the project wanted to see Inuyasha in action.

She walked almost silently. Inuyasha did and she often found herself mimicking him. She knew she would never reach the perfection he had, it just wasn't in her genetic make up, but she did love copying him. They often turned it into a game.

And being silent had it's perks, like eavesdropping. Kagome was a naturally curious creature, the scientist in her, her mother would say. So when she heard Naraku's voice and that of a woman's just ahead, she almost giggled. She loved it when Naraku trashed her behind her back. It made her giddy for some reason. Probably because he only talked shit because she was the better scientist. She perked her ears and listened.

Who was he talking to anyway?

XxXxXxX

"How soon can we get rid of her?" Naraku asked.

"Who?" Kikyo asked as she looked at a picture of the experiment's face.

"Kagome." he clarified. "She's annoying. Always parades around here like she owns the place."

"She can go as soon as we can replicate her results." Kikyo looked up at him. "Let me remind you that she succeeded where you failed."

"And I'm already ashamed to be outsmarted by such a young girl. I don't like it rubbed in my face." he glowered. "The experiment is a success and she keeps daily notes in a log on her computer. All we have to do is follow the instructions in that and we can have them mass produced."

"Then she's useless as soon as I verify that this creature is all you say it is." Kikyo changed the photo to one of 627 running on his specially designed treadmill. A close up of the speedometer read 114 mph. "We'll kill her and it then make the others. With a few changes."

"Changes?" Naraku asked. "Like what?"

"Like his looks." Kikyo frowned at the gold eyes and silver hair. "Must he look so…pretty? Can't we make him look meaner? I want to inspire fear not…love at first sight."

"I suppose." Naraku shrugged. "Kagome chose his looks from gene selections. I think she even changed them a bit to create the hair. We'll probably scar the next ones in training anyway."

"Training?" Kikyo asked as if only mildly curious.

"They'll have to be trained, of course." Naraku sighed. "If 627's any indication, they'll be as friendly as newborn pups. We might have to try trial and error to find just how to make them mean but we'll get it right."

"What, like pit bulls?" Kikyo asked.

"Exactly." Naraku nodded. "They'll be trained to be mean in the same way."

"Perfect." Kikyo smiled again. "Nothing I like so much as a dog that would bite the hand that fed it."

"And imagine what we could do with an army of them." Naraku smiled as he relished the thought. "We could probably overthrow the government and take Japan for ourselves."

Kikyo smiled darkly. "Maybe. We'll see but let's not be greedy."

XxXxXxX

Kagome wasn't stupid nor did she get stunned stupid. She might have been physically frozen in shock but her mind was still going a thousand miles an hour.

Inuyasha was looking down at her curiously wondering why she had stopped because that conversation had been a bit too difficult for him. After all, Kagome had never used words like 'kill' and 'mean' around him that often.

Train to be mean, would they? Kill them, huh?

Like hell.

Kagome felt her heart beating fast in anger.

So she had been used, had she? Somehow, that wasn't all that shocking. Not with that wicked Naraku around. And she would be damned if she would let them continue to use her or her precious Inuyasha!

The joke was on them. Kagome had destroyed her logs. She had fully intended to tell the creator of this project, whom she had believed to be the government itself, that she wasn't willing to continue creating people in captivity like this. That Inuyasha deserved to be free.

Kagome was the only one who knew every step of this project. She was the only one who had discovered the secret of creating a being. And if she had her way no one else would.

This changed everything.

She was Inuyasha's creator and it was her job to care for him. There was no end that she wouldn't go to to make sure he was safe.

And that included turning and running in the opposite direction of the labs.

Inuyasha's hand was still held fast in hers and he followed her without complaint as she ran to the chemistry department. Kagura was usually there, testing Inuyasha's blood and seeing how it reacted with different things. But she wouldn't be there now. Not with such an important personage here.

Kagome had been in this lab for a long time and she knew very well the security system in place. Any attempt to force her way out would only result in disaster. Even with Inuyasha and his nearly limitless strength to help her, it wouldn't work. The compound wasn't built just to keep unwanted guests out but to keep Inuyasha in. The only way to be sure that every escape was open, the only way to be sure no one would notice their fleeing, the only way to distract everyone…

Kagome slid to a stop in front of the door to the chemistry lab and hastily punched in the numbers on the side panel. Much too slow for her comfort, the door opened with a soft 'swish' and she hurried inside.

Inuyasha followed without protest or any indication that he had understood Naraku and the woman's words. He did whimper occasionally, wondering at her odd behavior and sensing her distress but he wasn't too terribly worried.

Kagome released his hand and said, "Stay!" over her shoulder as she ran into the lab.

Recently, Kagura had been testing any resistance Inuyasha might have against fire by applying the heat to his blood. The blood samples were being exposed to different heat temperatures.

One such flame could only be produced by mixing two very volatile chemicals. Chemicals that had to be separated from each other at all times because the flame they produces was very hot and burned for a very long time.

Kagura had ordered a five gallon drum of each one and she kept them stored at the opposite sides of her lab.

Kagome ran to the far left wall and grabbed the first one. Inuyasha watched curiously as she ran to the center of the room and poured it all on the ground. The clear, blue liquid spread over the floor like water.

Being careful not to step in it, Kagome ran to the opposite side and grabbed the other one.

This time, she ran to Inuyasha's side and opened the drum

Inuyasha blinked at her but gave no sign that he was scared.

Kagome wasn't strong, she exercised her mind not her body, so the throw she made of the drum wasn't very powerful. However, the liquid inside spilled all over the floor which was just what she wanted.

"Come on!" Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's hand and ran from the room. Though she didn't see it, she could feel the heat as the two chemicals ignited.

They had to run fast, those two weren't the only volatile chemicals in there, as soon as the flames hit the others the place would go off like a fireworks stand.

Inuyasha's nose twitched as the harsh scent of the chemicals hit him and he felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck as the intense heat expanded in the lab.

Reacting on instinct, he jumped forward, pulled Kagome into his arms and ran fast as the flames exploded and burned the very air around them.

Kagome had her face buried protectively in Inuyasha's chest, his hand on the back of her head to keep her from facing the heat of the fire.

All around her, she heard the high pitched, shrill call of the fire alarms and, a second later, the sprinklers jump started and water started falling on them like a storm.

However, this chemical fire wouldn't be put out simply by water.

XxXxXxX

Kikyo grunted unhappily as water was dumped on her without warning. "What the hell is this?" she asked over the alarms.

"The fire alarm." Naraku frowned. "We have to leave."

"And my experiment?" She asked as he grabbed her arm gently and led her to an exit.

"I'm sure Kagome has him." Naraku shrugged indifferently. "You leave, I'll stay and get Kagome's logs from her computer."

XxXxXxX

Inuyasha jumped from a second story window, shattering glass and making Kagome squeal. He didn't stop, he hit the ground and ran far from the building. The voices of the others in the large compound surrounded them. Voices which began to fill with fear as they saw the harsh orange glow of the fire appearing in the few windows the building had. The fire had spread much faster than Kagome had calculated.

She looked over Inuyasha's shoulder as he ran away and gasped as she saw the place begin to burn. She never would have made it out without Inuyasha.

Acting on instinct still, Inuyasha ran from the flames and into the open plains surrounding the compound. The laboratory was a secluded building with no other signs of life for five miles in any direction. Inuyasha just happened to be running right for Tokyo, the closest city.

"Good boy." Kagome said in shock as she watched the orange of the burning building blend into the brighter orange of the sun that was just finishing its rise over the horizon

XxXxXxX

Naraku growled in fury as he looked through Kagome's computer.

No logs! Not a damn thing! Not one word on Inuyasha's creation!

Naraku hadn't kept notes because he knew she had been and that when she was gone and could use hers. But there were no notes here!

He searched for hidden files and folders as he felt the fire raging through the building.

No hidden files. Not one single byte of memory unaccounted for.

That bitch had outsmarted him again!


	3. Log 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to Inuyasha**

DancingNinja21 I hear what you're saying about pitts and that is exactly what I said, trained to be mean. I have a pitt too and, quite honestly, my cousins bunny rabbit is more dangerous than him (I still have a scar on my neck cause of that rabbit -.-'...) I was making just that point. Pitts aren't mean naturally, most big dogs aren't it's chuahuahuas that I've found to be the most evil (same cousins dog is a chuahuahua and it spends every moment I'm in it's presence looking at me like its about to devour my soul)

**Log 2**

"Alright, think Kagome, think." Kagome said quietly to herself as she paced back and forth.

She took a deep breath and let the wind blow her hair around her head.

Inuyasha had ran them into Tokyo and jumped them atop a tall building with the only companions being the pigeons and their leavings. It didn't look like any one had been up there in years, probably because the building was scheduled for demolition in a few weeks.

Inuyasha was sitting on the corner, his eyes darting quickly back and forth as he took in the sights. He had never before seen so…much!

Cars of so many colors flashed in the sunlight. Blacks and whites and gray were colors he was used to. However, red cars and a few green cars and even a bright purple car were all new to him. The flashing lights on the cars themselves and those of the traffic lights dazzled him like the lights on the computer screens at the labs. He stared at those happily. They were like a point of normality among all these new things!

People and stores and colors among colors! It was exciting and blinding in all the newness. The smells were driving him mad. Kagome wasn't sure at first his mental processes could handle it all at once but he was doing wonderfully. She had spent the first few minutes watching him carefully, making sure he wasn't being overloaded with all the sensory information. But he seemed perfectly fine so she had turned her thoughts to more pressing matters.

"Breath, breath." She took a deep breath again but couldn't relax. She wasn't really equipped for dealing with things like this. She was a scientist for crying out loud! Everything she worked with was either hypothetical or a carefully controlled experiment!

"I never thought I would wish I had watched more TV." she bit her lip unhappily. She tried to think back. Her mother used to watch cop and detective shows on TV while she studied. She could bring up the texts perfectly, just not the show.

Don't go home, that was obvious. The first place they would look for her would be her mom's house, right? She didn't have her apartment anymore as she had sold it when she moved into the compound. So the only place she could have gone was her mom's.

And who was chasing her anyway? She had always thought she had worked for the government. If it wasn't the government, and they pretended to be the government, that would make them anti-government. Right? Or was she over thinking this?

Crime. A residential organization wouldn't have had the money required for the project. Inuyasha wasn't cheap. The strength machines he kept breaking cost more than a salary she could make in a year. She knew that, statistically, organized crime was a very lucrative business if one could make it work. And, because she was trained to consider all possibilities no matter how unpleasant, she knew very well that Inuyasha could be a very deadly weapon. Crime families would probably want nothing more than someone like Inuyasha. That and what the woman had said made Kagome pretty sure she was right.

"Inuyasha." Kagome said quietly.

He had never before seen so many new things. The sight of it all made him so excited he was practically shaking. However, when Kagome said his name, he turned from his perch and jumped to her side.

"I'm sorry, baby." She said as she took his clawed hand in hers. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen." He cocked his head curiously and watched her.

Kagome tried not to cry, she had to brave for her baby. Her precious Inuyasha was helpless despite his strength and speed. If she didn't guide and protect him he wouldn't be able to survive.

"But don't worry, I won't let anyone hurt you."

Kagome had always heard that dogs could sense the way their master's felt, but she had never really thought of Inuyasha as a dog so it always surprised her when he acted like one. For example, right now.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms and tucked her head securely into his neck. He held her tightly, but not uncomfortably, and Kagome was surprised for a moment at the action.

However, her surprise only lasted a moment. She curled into his embrace and let him hold her. It was nice to be held and not do the holding for once.

"We need money." she said. No matter how relaxed her body got, Kagome never stopped thinking. "I have money but its in my account. We can't touch it without them tracking us. I learned that on CSI, I think." She had already removed the battery from her phone to prevent it from being tracked. She didn't know exactly how powerful those she worked for were but she wasn't really planning on risking it. After all, they had enough money to create Inuyasha.

Well, better to prevent immediate death and on top of a building, even an abandoned one, than stand in Inuyasha's arms.

"Come on. I have like a hundred bucks." she leaned back and tried to put strength in her suddenly weary limbs. "We'll check into one of those by-hour hotels. Then I'll go get us some clothes."

Inuyasha released her reluctantly and blinked at her, not really understanding what was going on.

Kagome looked him over. He only wore the white pants that he let her dress him in. That coupled with the silver hair and gold eyes not to mention the triangular dog ears made him stand out in any crowd. It probably didn't help that he was drop dead handsome.

"Come on. I'll tell you where to go." Kagome went behind him and put her hands on his shoulders. "I just hope we can find a place to stay without any major problems.

As if he knew what she wanted, Inuyasha knelt down and let her climb back on his back.

"That way." Kagome pointed over his shoulder. "We'll find a place.

XxXxXxX

As it turned out, Kagome didn't have to worry about problems because of Inuyasha's looks.

The seedy hotel that Kagome picked in the middle of a less than respectful neighborhood was a place that fully enforced the don't-ask-don't-tell policy. People never looked each other full in the face and, in fact, did their best to avoid any one seeing them at all. So really, Kagome and Inuyasha fit right in.

The middle aged man with yellow teeth and greasy hair that was the desk clerk probably wouldn't have cared if Kagome came in with a bomb on her waist. Actually, he probably wouldn't even have noticed. His nose was in a really old magazine that was, poorly, hiding the adult magazine in the middle of it.

Kagome said good morning and he said, without once looking up, "Sign in and I take cash only."

Kagome hadn't responded, just signed in a fake name before throwing some bills down.

Without looking at them, the man reached behind him, grabbed a key, and threw it in their general direction.

With skills gained through a lifetime of catch and fetch, Inuyasha's hand automatically snapped out and snagged the keys from the air.

"Thank you." was all Kagome said before leading Inuyasha out and to the room that the key was labeled as.

"Okay." Kagome said, letting herself relax a bit when they finally got indoors and she locked the door behind them.

Inuyasha was sniffing the air with a look of unhappiness of his face. He wasn't used to anything but immaculate.

"I know it's not much." Kagome said with forced cheerfulness. "But we can't afford more." And now that they were away from immediate detection, the shades already being drawn on the windows, she could move her thoughts to other problems.

"I need to talk to mom." she said as Inuyasha looked at the TV. He recognized the screen but probably couldn't figure out where the keyboard was and why the screen was rounded.

"I know that's probably a bad idea but it's all I can think of." she bit her lip anxiously. "But I can't go home. They'll look for us there. Mom always shops on Tuesdays. I'll meet up with her then." Jeez, what day was it? It was easy for Kagome to lose track of time. The only way she had kept track of days was through her logs at work but counting the days wasn't going to help her now.

Inuyasha was now sniffing the bed and, apparently, not really enjoying what he said.

Kagome smiled at him and went to get the remote from the bed stand. It was an old remote to an equally old TV. She clicked power and Inuyasha jumped when the TV came to life already set on the news.

Kagome flipped to the Discovery channel as he sat on the ground and watched the pictures with his mouth slightly open.

"Stay." Kagome said to him as she pet his head. "I'll be back."

Inuyasha gave no sign that he heard her but continued to watch the box even after she was gone.

So many colors…  
>"…<em>and even though we have no proof, medically, of this behavioral instinct…"<em>

Inuyasha blinked. He recognized the words, Kagome used ones much more complex regularly, but this box…

Words and pictures and colors. Oh, the colors!

Kagome had shown him pictures before, but never moving ones like this!

XxXxXxX

Kagome was rather proud of herself. It had been three whole days and nothing bad had happened. Well, there was that incident with that _huge _mutant cockroach, but other than that…

Kagome had even come up with a disguise so she could walk around outside.

With a brunette, curly wig over her head and her eyes covered by sunglasses, she was unrecognizable. She knew because her own mother didn't even look twice at her as she passed.

Kagome had changed her ultra white clothes for some jean shorts, a simple blue spaghetti strap shirt, and flip flops. She looked like an average young woman in the hot weather.

Her mother only liked the freshest produce and she found it here, at this open market. It didn't have a building or a roof. Instead it was a series of stalls and vendors selling. Produce was just one thing being sold, fresh fish was also there. There were also goods and knick knacks. In fact, it was almost like one big flea market.

Her mother walked by, her wicker shopping backset in her arms, a smile on her face. That smile assured Kagome that, if nothing else, her mother wasn't worried.

Kagome looked around, not sure why but that's what they did in the movies, before walking after her.

"Hi." Kagome touched her arm and fell into step beside her mother.

"Hello." her mom said back politely.

Kagome pulled down her glasses and looked pointedly at her mother.

"Kago-"

"Shh!" Kagome checked around. And kept walking to keep her mom from stopping.

"Baby, why are you here?" her mother whispered to her, checking around as well. "And why are we whispering? And is that a wig?"

"Mom, I have a problem." Kagome put her glasses back on and tried to keep her head down. "I really, really big problem."

"Baby, what…"

"I know this probably isn't the best time but I really need some money." Kagome pleaded hoping pleading would work with her best puppy dog eyes hidden behind her sunglasses.

Her mother, however, seemed to sense something was wrong. Then again, it was probably pretty obvious. "Sweetie, what happened?"

"Some really bad things." Kagome knew her mother deserved an explanation but, somehow, she felt it was better if she knew as little as possible. But, then again, she couldn't really just expect her mother to just give her money with no reason as to why. "Look, I made some really big enemies and…they are really…powerful." Kagome bit her lip, unsure how to say what she needed to without saying too much. "They're probably after me by now and I have to lay low for a while. Probably…a long while."

"Kagome. Honey, how much do you need?" her mother asked, a frown on her face.

"Anything you have." Kagome winced knowing her mother would probably have a lot as it was shopping day.

"Here." her mother took her wallet from her purse and handed it all to Kagome.

"I can't use the cards." Kagome took the wallet guiltily. She didn't want to but she really had to take it.

"I'll say someone stole it and get knew cards." her mother smiled. "I'm here for you baby, no matter what."

"Thank you, mama." Kagome tried not to cry. "Um…some people may…come looking for me."

"I never saw you, babe." her mother winked. "I saw a girl with brown hair who stole my wallet."

"Thank you." Kagome beamed.

"Take care of yourself, my love." her mother tried to smile. She knew her daughter could take care of herself, she was smart enough to handle any situation.

"I'll get in contact when I can." Kagome promised. "Love you, mom."

"Love you, baby." her mom whispered as her daughter started walking faster and put a greater distance between them.

She watched her daughter slip into a crowd in the packed marketplace. Graceful from all the dance classes she had paid for.

A moment later, a man passed by her. He was just like any other and shouldn't have raised any suspicion. Except his eyes were locked on Kagome.

She wanted to cry out a warning but thought better of it. Kagome could still lose him, he might not even be following her and she was just paranoid now because of her daughter's problem.

Instead, with her heart heavier than it had been since Souta had fallen out of the sacred tree when he had been young, she turned and went back home.

XxXxXxX

Kagome went quickly back into the room and shut the door firmly behind her.

"I'm back, Inuyasha."

He looked at her and gave her an open mouthed grin. In his hands was the remote to the TV that he had been inseparable from. Around him was an assortment of fast food wrappers and to-go boxes. He had just recently figured out which buttons made it louder and softer, which changed the channels, and which one put it on that boring, black colored channel and put it back on the pretty colors.

"I got us some money." Kagome waved the bills she had taken from the wallet. The cards and wallet itself were in her back pocket. "Alright, let's get out of here."

She had been out longer than she was comfortable with and, quite honestly, she was pretty sure someone had seen her talking to her mom.

She took the remote from him and turned it off. "Alright, get up. Let's get out of here."

Inuyasha stood up obediently and looked at her with unwavering trust. His life may have been thrown completely out of any semblance of normality, at least for him, but he was taking it all in stride. In fact, if Kagome wasn't wrong, he looked happier than ever before.

Because those neon white pants were too obvious, as if his hair and eyes weren't bad enough, she was forced to change him.

She had no problems with getting him to put on boxers. They were basically shorter forms of his normal pants anyway and he was really excited about the different colors they came in. The jeans were a bit tougher. He had never worn anything as tight as them. Kagome wasn't really sure his size because his pants were specially made. The ones she brought back seemed to fit but they outlined his very athletic legs. Shirts were a bit harder, though. He never really wore them. So anything tight was out of the question. In the end, she got him a few button up shirts that were loose and comfortable. He only wore one when she made him though.

And she needed him to wear one now.

"Get dressed, love." she passed him the red one, red seemed to be his favorite color. At least, his was attracted to it more than the others.

He grimaced but pulled it over his head.

Kagome smiled. It used to be that he had to look at the shirt a few times before he was sure how to get it on properly. Kagome was right, he just didn't have enough mental stimulation for proper growth of his…

What was she doing? They had to leave. They had stayed long enough here. Kagome had bought a few mystery books with the money she had had on her before escaping the compound. Keep mobile seemed to be a central thing. If there was anything Kagome was proud about herself, it was her ability to learn fast.

She was putting the clothes they had managed to accumulate in the last few days in a yellow back pack she had fallen in love with when there was knock on the door.

She froze and Inuyasha looked at it. He had seen knocking on the TV and knew there was someone on the other side.


	4. Log 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to Inuyasha**

I'm not saying all chihuahuas are evil, just the two I've had aquiantience with. My chihuahua pug mix isn't even that evil, she's just insane. And I'm not kidding either, I seriously believe my dog needs to be in a straight jacket. But trust me, my cousin's dog HATES me. Not dislike, not distrust, HATE! Pure and simple. The dog would like nothing more than to dance in my entrails. The same can be said for a lab a friend of the family owns. She has tried to dance in my entrails.

I didn't mean to! I'm sorry for the long wait for last chapter. I paid for my internet, a week later it broke and before we could fix it it got cut off again. I just recently fixed it and had to wait FOREVER to turn it back on. I swear, for those who don't know me well, I don't usually take this long to update. And, to prove it to you, instead of waiting out for more reviews like I usually do, here's the next chapter(that I wrote while waiting for my internet to get fixed and turned back on)!XDXDXD!

**Log 3**

"Come on." Kagome whispered urgently as she tugged his hand and grabbed her back pack.

He followed her into the bathroom as Kagome put the backpack on.

"Shit!" she ducked out of view of the tiny, nasty window, her intended escape. There were people out there, they didn't look very friendly.

There was another, more urgent knock on the door.

Kagome pulled Inuyasha out of the backroom and looked around helplessly. The only exists were the bathroom window, the front door, and the front window. A window which had a silhouette of a man in it.

The person on the other side of the door pounded hard as the man in the window moved and pulled something out of his pocket. Kagome didn't watch TV much, she had never seen an actual one before, but she knew the shape of a gun and the stance of someone holding it.

"Inuyasha." Kagome turned to him and took his head in her hands. "Baby, you have to run, alright? You have to go, get out of here."

Inuyasha looked at her curiously, his head tilted slightly to the side probably because he didn't understand. He knew 'run' but the only time Kagome had ever told him to run was on his treadmill and there wasn't one here.

"They'll come in and you run past them, okay?" Kagome pleaded as she looked deep into his eyes.

Inuyasha knew something was wrong, she could see the confusion and worry on his open face.

"Leave me here. Got it?" Kagome asked as the banging turned into loud thuds as whoever was beyond the door attempted to bust through. "Run!"

Suddenly, several things happened all at once.

The door burst open and three men all dressed in dark colors with glasses covering their eyes came in, firing their hand guns without mercy.

A loud crash of glass breaking came from the bathroom and Kagome screamed in fear and pain as a bullet hit her shoulder.

"Kagome!"

Kagome collapsed from the sheer agony and there was a whirl of colors then the sensation of flying.

When Kagome opened her eyes a few seconds later, she was being carried in Inuyasha's arms like a backpack put on the front instead of the back. Her legs automatically wrapped around his waist to get a better grip but when she tried to move her right arm pain exploded and brought stars to her eyes.

Inuyasha was facing forward, his face hard as he ran as fast as he could but his arms tightened reassuringly around her as she cried out.

Kagome kept her eyes down as she tried to keep her shoulder still. The hot wetness of her own blood was flowing down her arm. Then, to Kagome's surprise, a matching trail of warmth started flowing down her hip.

She looked down in alarm, wondering how she hadn't felt that one. Then a new, terrible feeling of mind numbing terror filled her body as she realized it wasn't her that was hurt.

Inuyasha had been shot in his right hip. And here he was, sprinting full speed without even a wince.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome tried to call out to him but her voice was lost in the sound of wind rushing past them.

She wanted him to stop so she could look him over but he wouldn't or couldn't hear her. She didn't dare touch it now, mid-run. He might not even feel it right now because of an adrenaline rush, and if she tried to do anything now that might bring the pain to the forefront of his mind and make him stop without warning. Such a complete stop could be very dangerous.

So Kagome just held on with her legs and one good arm and waited for him to stop.

XxXxXxX

Inuyasha ran only a few minutes, though to Kagome it felt like hours. When he finally did stop, it was on top of that very same building that had stopped on when they first escaped.

He landed with supreme grace then put Kagome down as gently as one would handle a newborn baby bird.

Then he looked a her in worry as Kagome took her first look at her shoulder.

Her skin was stained red from her own blood which had mostly dried but the round wound still leaked lazily.

She instinctively covered it with her hand to stop the bleeding as she weakly looked at Inuyasha's hip.

He didn't seem to notice, he was even kneeling in front of her using those same muscles the bullet must have ripped through.

"Inuyasha." Kagome reached forward but he backed off and looked pointedly at her shoulder. "Let me see." But he pushed her hand away.

Since he wasn't going to let her look at him until she addressed her own injury, Kagome pulled one of his shirts from her bag and wrapped her shoulder up and made it into a makeshift sling. It took a while because moving her shoulder in the slightest bit hurt like made and she kept having to pause and wait while a wave of pain made its way through her.

Only when she had her arm secured, sweating and panting from the effort, would Inuyasha allow her near him.

He laid back obediently as Kagome lowered waistband of his jeans and lifted his shirt up.

The blood was heavily caked on so it was hard to find the bullet hole. She saw a matching pool of blood on the back of the jeans so she was sure the bullet had passed through.

She was careful about looking, trying not to touch anything to hard or make Inuyasha flinch at all. However, she needn't have worried. He looked up at the sky with infinite patience for her and didn't even seem to notice her poking around.

Kagome grabbed a water bottle from the backpack she had already removed and poured it gently over his hips. The blood came off easily but Kagome was having a hard time finding the bullet hole.

Judging from the blood's position, it should have hit right at the top of his hip bone. But, as more and more blood came off, still no injury was revealed. Kagome knew Inuyasha's body like the back of her hand. She should, after all she created it and studied it for the last few years. So she knew that the tiny, round scar that she uncovered from the blood hadn't been there before. But, there was no way…

Kagome ran her hand over the scar. The skin was still pink like a freshly healed scar and, from the blood, it was right where the bullet hole would be. However…

"No, way." Kagome breathed as she touched it gently. Inuyasha didn't seem to notice.

"Sit up." she said suddenly. Inuyasha obeyed as Kagome lifted his shirt in his back. Sure enough, when she brushed the blood away, she saw a matching scar right where a bullet would exit his body.

"Incredible…" Kagome whispered as she touched it. Her own pain was forgotten in light of this new discovery.

Inuyasha healed past superhuman rates.

Even as she looked on, the pink of the scars faded until it was just the color of his normal skin. It was as if the wound was months old and not minutes.

"Oh, kami." Kagome whispered in awe as the urge to record and perform further tests made her fingers itch.

Then she moved her right hand and pain blossomed in her arm reminding her that she was still injured.

"We need to get out of here." she gasped as she unwillingly withdrew her hand. "We need a new place to stay."

XxXxXxX

Slap!

"You idiots!" Kikyo screeched in anger as the man fell to the ground from the force of her blow, four scratches bleeding on his face from her nails.

The seven men sent to recover Kagome were on their knees before her, cowering at her rage.

"What if you killed her!" Kikyo kicked the man in the gut making him choke. "She is the only one who knows how to create the hybrid species! If she dies we're screwed!" She slammed her foot down on him and the heel of her shoe tore through his side like a knife. "I don't care if you kill the experiment but if we lose Kagome everything we worked for will be LOST!" She twisted her ankle cruelly and the main cried out in pain.

"Kikyo." Naraku spoke up from the back of the room. It was a nicely decorated place that could have passed for an office of an influential business woman. "If I may speak, ma'am?"

"What?" Kikyo demanded as she dug her heel in further.

"Perhaps we should forget about Kagome and her pet." He smiled darkly at her. "I saw most of the process and I did help with some of it. I could have a new model for you in no time."

Kikyo withdrew her shoe and walked over to Naraku. "The only reason we need Kagome is because she succeeded where you FAILED!" She slapped him as well and the same four scratches appeared on his face. "If you were of any use we wouldn't NEED KAGOME!" Kikyo slapped him again. "The only reason you aren't dead is because when we do get her back you are going to watch over the experiments and make sure she gives me an exact copy!" Then Kikyo smiled sweetly and said, in a very calm and lovely voice, "And when she's done and you've seen everything and know everything that has to do with my new species, we'll kill her. Then you'll be indispensable to me." Kikyo took his head in her hands and smiled seductively up at him. "Then me and you will rule this country together. Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

"Yes, ma'am." Naraku said, a smile on his face.

"Good." Kikyo back away from him and turned to the seven men still cowering on her floor. "What are you waiting for! Go find and bring Kagome BACK!"

Even as she yelled they were all scrambling to their feet and running, or in one case limping, out of her office.

XxXxXxX

Kagome chose another cheap hotel on the other side of town and settled in great caution. She and Inuyasha stayed only long enough for Kagome to steal the first aid kit then they were gone again. They did that twice more, paying for only an hour at a time before taking the first aid kit and running off.

They finally stopped at a decent hotel. It wasn't five star but it was still a few steps up from the by-hour hotels they had been running around at.

The clerk looked at the two of them funny but gave them a keycard without comment and they went quietly to their room.

Inuyasha sat on the bed, ignoring the TV, as Kagome with great care and a lot of gasping, peeled off Inuyasha's shirt. Literally 'peeled' as the blood had dried it to her skin. Then she went to the bathroom and, for the better part of the rest of the day, cleaned and dressed her wound.

Kagome had never studied medicine but she had taken multiple biology and anatomy classes. That, coupled with TV knowledge, made her pretty sure she had to remove the bullet. However, she had nothing to get it with and really didn't want to risk doing more harm than good. So she cleaned it carefully and, wincing and trying not to cry out from the pain, disinfected it with alcohol. She even, gently, rubbed Neosporin on it, though she didn't know if that was right, before taking all the bandages they stole and wrapping it up.

When she finally exited the bathroom, clean and changed into non-blood stained clothes, the sun had already set. Inuyasha was still on the bed, looking at her with worry.

"I'm okay." Kagome smiled at him reassuringly. From her bag, she pulled out more clothes and gave them to Inuyasha. "Change." She said.

Inuyasha took them and began taking off his own clothes.

Kagome turned her back respectfully as she turned down the bed. She was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep. By the time she had managed to wiggle herself into a comfortable spot, Inuyasha was crawling into bed with her.

Instead of cuddling up to her like he usually did, he pulled her close to him, comforting _her_ instead of the other way around.

Kagome smiled and snuggled into his warmth.

To her great disappointment, despite being so damn sleepy, she just couldn't sleep!

Instead the days events just kept playing in her head.

Her mom, the gun, the men, getting shot.

Images and sounds rattled around in her head making sleep just completely elusive.

They must have been after her. She had heard them yell her name. That made sense, Kagome was the only one who knew exactly how to make Inuyasha.

This was one of Kagome's problems. Her overactive mind would just tear a scenario to pieces after it was already done and over with.

If they were only after her, that meant Inuyasha was worthless. So, if they were caught, Inuyasha would be in more danger than her.

The ones calling her must have been from the bathroom because the sound hadn't come from behind her. However, they had just broken through the glass, they wouldn't have been calling her already, would they? Besides, the voice had sounded awfully close…

Kagome jumped upright, disturbing Inuyasha and making him jump.

Half excited, half disbelieving, Kagome turned on the lamp and looked at Inuyasha.

He blinked at her, more than a little worried. He had a right to be after the day he had.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome looked at him funny and Inuyasha tilted his head. "Baby, did you speak earlier? Did you say my name?"

He just blinked at her.

"Inuyasha, what's my name?"

No response.

She looked at him a moment more but he gave no sign that he understood.

"I guess not." she sighed and turned off the light again. Even as she laid back down, Inuyasha was taking her back in his arms.

Maybe it was just the day distorting the memory. Inuyasha didn't speak and, if he did, Kagome was sure it would be a bark.

Still, it was rather disappointing.

That night, Kagome dreamed of Inuyasha, whispering her name over and over again but Kagome could never quite hear him.

XxXxXxX

When she woke up, Kagome was alone. However, she saw the weather channel and, after sitting up a little, Inuyasha's head as he watched it.

"I never knew you were such a couch potato." Kagome laughed and he turned to her and smiled.

He jumped off the floor and crawled to her side. Kagome welcomed the warmth and companionship and watched TV with him.

It took him a little while to work out the remote, it was shaped differently than the other one, but after he got the hang of it, he was channel surfing like the best of them.

Kagome didn't care, she just wanted to rest. She already worried enough about 'what next?', now she had to deal with worrying about her shoulder, whether or not she cleaned it right, would it get infected, did she treat it correctly. She took a first aid class long ego but getting shot was treated by calling an ambulance, not putting Neosporin on it in a hotel bathroom.

So it was nice to sit back and watch the Discovery channel with Inuyasha for a while and to just not think about anything.

Kagome didn't move again until noon when she had to go to the bathroom. And, since she was up, she decided to go get food.

"I'll be back in a little." Kagome kissed Inuyasha's cheek. "Stay here, be good."

He smiled up at her and changed the channel again.

Kagome put on a jacket over her shoulders to cover her crappy sling before leaving the hotel.

It had been a long time since Kagome had walked around Tokyo. She had lived at the laboratory before and everything she needed was brought to her. So it was great to leave the hotel, walk under the sun, move around and get something herself.

She had on her glasses and wig, she wasn't stupid after all. But that didn't make the experience less enjoyable.

Inuyasha, on the other hand, couldn't get enough TV. It boggled his mind, it made him want to see more. The TV showed him worlds he hadn't been able to see before. Sure, he had watched movies back home, but those had been mostly boring documentaries that held no interest for him.

But even the documentaries on this magical machine were interesting and much more full of color. He watched one on the ocean and coral reefs that made him gape at the TV for the full hour.

However, it didn't take long for him to notice the difference. The difference was the TV was just an image and not reality. He wanted to see these things! He wanted to experience them!

He wanted to swim along the coral reefs. He wanted to run in one of the long grasslands on the mainland. He wanted to grasp and truly understand the heat and beauty of a desert. He wanted to climb an icy mountain. He wanted to see small villages. He wanted to enjoy the festivals. He wanted to see the animals. He wanted to meet the people. He just wanted to know!

Was that too much for him to want?

And he wanted Kagome there, every step of the way.

Inuyasha didn't think in complex terms. To him everything could be broken into three things. Things he didn't care to know. Things he dearly wanted to know. And Kagome.

Kagome was Inuyasha's whole world. Every memory he had had her in it. Her face was even more familiar to him than his own.

When he discovered the music channel that afternoon, he wanted nothing more than to have Kagome there to dance with like she had done at the labs.

Soon after that, he found the health channel and watched a show about doctors and emergency medicine. There was a total of three shot victims in the episode and only one of them had been shot in the shoulder. But Inuyasha watched carefully, trying to figure out how to fix Kagome.

He dearly loved her smell, it brought him comfort and joy in the most basic of ways.

However, he didn't like the smell of her blood made sharp with the scent of pain and fear.

Though he didn't know the mechanics of hormones and other such things that ran through the blood and changed with every emotion felt, he did know the blood smelled different with each one. His favorite was happiness. It smelled warm and nice then. Pain and fear made it sharp and unpleasant and, in turn, made him feel a slight apprehension.

After all, Inuyasha had been created to be a guard dog. Guarding and protecting were his two most basic of instincts. And, like any dog would, his loyalty was to the one who showed him the most care.

So when Kagome returned later, with food and a smile, Inuyasha jumped and ran to her side, taking in a deep breath to make sure she was alright.

Kagome didn't know, for how could she guess, just how much Inuyasha cared for her.

Inuyasha was a complete unknown, physically and psychologically. No one could guess or even comprehend just how much Inuyasha felt and that his desire to protect ran so deep in his mind that even self preservation was put aside.

But, of course, that only applied to one person.

Inuyasha's world.


	5. Log 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to Inuyasha**

I know with this chapter I'm going to get a lot of 'if it was me...'s. I would like to remind you that you don't know how you would react to anything unless you were actually in the situation. Thank you for your attention :)

**Log 4**

"This isn't working out for me." Kagome said unhappily as she gazed at what little money they had left. Being on the run was damn expensive! "Can I just go home?" She wasn't sure which deity she was asking with her sighed plea at the ceiling. Whatever one would listen she supposed.

Inuyasha was chewing on a plastic spoon, bored. He was getting restless, Kagome could tell. Just sitting down he was tense and clearly eager to leave this little room. The TV was playing some nature channel on mute but he had grown tired of it. Hence the reason it was on mute.

Kagome sighed and resisted the urge to flop back on the bed. She had to remember her shoulder was injured. Because if she forgot, her shoulder wasted no time in reminding her.

"I wish I had a freaking passport." Kagome spread her meager budget on the covers. "We could leave this country. Then again, it would be hard getting you past security." she smiled at Inuyasha who just continued gnawing on the surprisingly bendy plastic spoon.

"What we need is a plan." she sighed. "But how do we stop being on the run? Who do we run to at a moment like this?"

Inuyasha scratched his scar and Kagome smiled at his innocence.

"Kami, I love you. But you are just extremely unhelpful." she said and he blinked at her without comment.

"Okay, think Kagome, think." she took a deep breath. She started running through all the thoughts and plans that had already come to her and been discarded. She found it helpful to go back and re-think things at times. It helped her find paths or options she might have missed the first think through.

"Okay, we can't go to the police." she said to herself. "They would never believe us. And besides them I can't think of a single government office to report this to. Besides, even if they did believe us they would want to experiment on you themselves and that's where I draw the line."

Kagome looked over when she heard and crack and saw him take the now broken spoon from his mouth.

"We've already depended too much on my mother." she continued. She smiled at him. "What are your thoughts on moving to the mountains and becoming hermits?"

Inuyasha looked at the crack down the center of the spoon, grabbed the two sides and pulled, breaking it in half.

"I'll take that as a no." Kagome sighed. "Just as well. I don't think I'd make a good hermit. Not enough intellectual stimulation.

Inuyasha started breaking the spoon into more pieces. He seemed to enjoy the snap as the plastic broke.

"I'm so glad you're so carefree." she laughed.

She watched silently as he broke it into ever smaller pieces until finally he just couldn't break it down any further.

"Don't throw those on the floor. Throw them in the trashcan." Kagome said as it looked like he was about to do just that.

"There has got to be a way out of this situation." she laid back, gently, on the bed as Inuyasha got up and put the pieces in the bin. "I wish you could talk. I think so much better when I have someone to bounce ideas off of."

Inuyasha crawled onto the bed beside her and took her into his arms.

"We're not going to bed, silly." Kagome nudged him playfully. "We're brainstorming right now."

Inuyasha leaned forward and licked her cheek making her giggle.

"You're so unhelpful." she smiled and leaned into him. "Maybe we can swim to China. What do you think?"

He blinked at her.

"Right, you can't swim." Kagome sighed. "Why did you have to grow up in that damn lab? I told them it would be better to let you out sometimes."

Inuyasha didn't respond at all.

"Glad we're on the same page." she bit her bottom lip. "Here's a question. Does talking to you count as a one sided conversation or talking to myself."

Inuyasha closed his eyes as if he was going to go to sleep.

"Right. Completely off topic." Kagome nudged him again. "Get up. It's only noon. We're not going to bed yet."

"Tired."

"Yeah, so am I." Kagome laughed. "Tired of running around like a chicken…"

She froze then looked at him in shock but he wasn't looking at her. His eyes were closed, trying to sleep.

"Inuyasha you can't keep doing this to me." Kagome shook his shoulder gently forcing his eyes open. "Are you speaking or aren't you?"

He didn't say anything, just blinked at her.

Kagome sat up which made him sit up which was the only reason she did it. "Now don't you play with me. Are you talking or not?"

Inuyasha watched the TV as a cheetah ran quickly across the Savannah.

"Can you focus?" Kagome rolled her eyes. "Now either you're starting to speak or I'm hearing things. And since I don't like the second option I would love it if you would speak again."

Inuyasha turned at the aggravation in her voice.

"Come on." Kagome sighed when he maintained his silence." All I'm asking for is one little word. You said tired, right? Say it again!"

Inuyasha laid back and closed his eyes.

"I didn't say go to sleep!" Kagome resisted the urge to giggle at him. "Now either get up or-"

"Room service!" someone said through the door as they knocked.  
>"Shit!" Kagome said quietly as she jumped up and grabbed their stuff which she kept, thankfully, already packed.<p>

"Hello?" they knocked again as Kagome urged Inuyasha off the bed.

Since the first thing Kagome had done was put up the 'Do Not Disturb' sign the only one knocking would be someone she didn't want to meet.

"Let's go." Kagome ran to the window and threw back the curtains. "Inuyasha?"

She turned when he didn't respond to the word 'go'. He was sniffing at the air. Then he growled, snarled even, at the door.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome whispered as the knock sounded more urgently. "Come on!"

There was one loud bang on the door.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome moaned in desperation on the wood of the door bent in slightly. "We need to leave. Now!"

Inuyasha crouched slightly and Kagome stilled.

Kagome hadn't got her job just because she was an expert in human biology. She was also very well versed in animal biology and physiology. When she added that to the nature channel Inuyasha seemed to favor, she knew enough to recognize that posture. It was something she had never wanted to see from her darling Inuyasha.

He was crouched low, his leg muscles bunched and ready to spring. He fingers were spread and his claws primed for attack. His snarl revealed the finely pointed fangs in his mouth and anger was etched into the lines on his face.

To put it simply, Inuyasha was in an attack stance.

"…Inu…yasha…?" Kagome almost whimpered.

No! No, no, no! She didn't want her precious Inuyasha to have to fight! Inuyasha needed to be treated with care! With respect! He shouldn't need to bare his claws or his fangs!

The next thud collapsed the door inward off its hinges and the men outside came forward menacingly.

Kagome had no time to react, she had no time to call for help.

Even as the men raised their guns, Inuyasha shot off like a bullet.

He grabbed the first guy by the face and his momentum carried them into the hall where the man's skull hit the opposite wall with a loud, sickening crunch.

The others turned to Inuyasha in shock, not prepared for any actual hostility as Inuyasha had never displayed any before.

Their slow reaction gave him time to swipe his claws along one man's belly, spilling his guts onto the floor. Then he jumped onto the third, bringing him down and creating multiple cracks as the man's ribcage collapsed.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled in a panic, unsure of what to do.

However, for the first time in his life, Inuyasha didn't respond to her call. He turned to the last three men and jumped forward without mercy.

Inuyasha had been biologically engineered to fight, to protect. He was naturally faster, stronger than any grown man. The last three of them fell under his claws with no trouble. The first two collapsed, four lines shredded their chests and bellies open from his to shoulder. The last couldn't even call out in pain because Inuyasha reached for his throat and tore it out before he could even take a breath.

Inuyasha sniffed the air, his ears twitched as he listened. But he heard no heartbeat from the others and only the wet sounds of a man trying to breath through blood from the one under him.

He stood up and looked at the bodies littering the floor. A tiny whimper from within the room made him run back inside and look at Kagome, worried.

Kagome herself was having just about as much trouble breathing as the man Inuyasha killed.

Her legs failed her, her knees went numb and she sank onto her butt. The movement jarred her shoulder but her mind was too blank to even notice the pain.

Inuyasha kneeled before her and sniffed at her cautiously. However, he could smell no signs of injury, other than the old one.

Kagome couldn't take her eyes off of his hands.

His fingers, his hands, his claws; they were all stained in blood up to the wrist. He even had spatter across his face.

He reached out to her with both hands, intending only to comfort her, to bring her close.

But Kagome flinched and Inuyasha froze.

She recoiled from his touch, she stared at him as if she had never seen him before. Inuyasha didn't know much but he knew fear when he smelled it. It was another sharp and acrid smell that he didn't care at all for.

And for it to come from Kagome! Of all people it had to be Kagome! He had smelled it on the men outside as he was attacking but somehow it hadn't smelled so…awful from them.

He watched in horror as tears fell from her eyes. There was a tightness in his chest, like someone was squeezing his heart and freezing his lungs. He hadn't ever felt this before!

"Kagome…" he said gently, unsure of how to react.

He followed her gaze to his hands and lifted them up to his eyes.

He turned them over so he was looking at his palms. The blood was flowing down his arms in a macabre parody of veins and there was flesh and muscle under his claws. To him, there hadn't been anything wrong about what he had done. It had been natural, instinctive to defend Kagome. His body had told him precisely where to strike without him even knowing of vital points.  
>But seeing Kagome like this, shaking and crying as she gazed at the results of his actions, hot shame flooded through his body.<p>

"Kagome." he said again and reached for her.

Kagome didn't resist him or flinch again though she had to fight the urge to do so.

Instead she stayed perfectly still, a dear in headlights, as he pulled her into his arms and picked her up without once causing her shoulder pain.

Kagome had to fight the instinct to gag as the hot blood on his hands rubbed onto her legs and shoulder.

Inuyasha held her in one arm as he picked up the TV with the other and through it out the window.

Kagome did flinch this time as the glass shattered. However, she made no protest when he jumped out of it with her and fled from the scene of the six dead men.

XxXxXxX

Naraku growled in anger as he walked through the charred remains of the once great laboratory. Computers, files, records, charts; everything that could have helped them recreate the experiment was now nothing more than melted plastic or dusty ash. Kagome really was the only one left who could create the hybrid.

"Do you think she planned it this way or just wanted the fire to escape?" Kagura asked as she walked delicately around the burnt wood and steel that had once been the room where they measured brain activity.

"Probably both." Naraku grumbled as he bent down and pushed a melted, mangled piece of steel aside. The chemical fire had been so hot even the super-resistant metal had stood no chance. "That bitch. Where's Kanna?"

"Hmm?" Kagura tore her gaze from a passing fireman. It was lucky all the things had been burnt in a way. Now they could be assured that everything had burnt itself out and wouldn't have to deal with a chemical fire themselves. "Oh, she's waiting in the car."

"You should be as well." Naraku said to her. "Remember your condition. All this ash isn't good for you."

Anyone passing by would think that Naraku said this out of concern for his younger sister.

Kagura, however, wasn't fooled. She knew Naraku held nothing but disdain for her and Kanna. Plain and simple, both of them were testaments to his failures.

Kagome hadn't been the first one to attempt the superhuman creation Kikyo so wanted.

Ten years ago, she had hired Naraku and a team of others to create it. However, then they were just after enhancing a human's own DNA to create a simple superhuman instead of a super hybrid.

After all the sample DNA taken had failed and been used, Naraku offered up his own blood. He was a perfect candidate. There was no history of any inheritable diseases in his family and his breeding was impeccable. To Naraku, there was no doubt that his DNA would work. So he donated as much as he could to the project.

From it they created the first 'superhuman'.

Kanna.

However there was nothing 'super' about her. In fact, she was a frail and weak thing. Her growth was stunted and she had the appearance of a child despite being older than Kagura. She was allergic to sunlight and had even been born an albino. Not to mention the fact that she was emotionally dead.

However, she was very smart and was put to work on creating another 'superhuman'. Two years later, Kagura was 'born'. At first, she seemed like a marked improvement over Kanna. Outwardly she appeared completely normal and she had got the very brains that Naraku had passed onto Kanna, his first clone.

However, Kagura did have a fatal flaw. Her lungs were extremely weak and prone to disease. She couldn't do any strenuous activity and was on medication for her asthma and chronic bronchitis.

In other words, just like Kanna, Kagura was a complete failure.

However, they were both created from, and therefore a part of, Naraku. So he tended to be extremely possessive of them. Which was the only reason he didn't want her breathing in too much ash and smoke and why his car was completely UV-proof.

When it was discovered that Kagura was useless, Kikyo became fed up with Naraku's incompetence. That's why the entire façade was created to bring in Kagome who was much more morally sound than Naraku.

"What are we going to do now?" Kagura asked not caring about her own health. She wasn't ashamed to admit she had a death wish. If Naraku didn't keep her under constant watch she would have slit her wrists ages ago. "Kikyo isn't pleased and Kagome's out there with the only success we have."

"I'm tired of both of them." Naraku growled. He had been developing a severe hatred for women lately. Kagura had a fist shaped bruise on her stomach to prove it. "All Kikyo ever talks about is Kagome. Like I couldn't do a damn thing on my own."

Kagura resisted the urge to point out that he couldn't do anything on his own. He had the brains but not the money. And even then, he didn't have as much brains as Kagome.

"When Kikyo gets Kagome back and I get the formula for the experiment, I'll create a very special one. And I'll use it to slowly squeeze the life from that pompous bitch!" His hands grabbed at the air like they were wrapped around a throat.

"Kagome?" Kagura asked.

"Kikyo!" Naraku grinned darkly at the bright blue sky. "Killed by the very thing she so desired, a fitting end for her. Kagome will be different, oh yes. I'll break her body and soul and force her to create new and better hybrids for me. Think of the possibilities. Snake human hybrids and the venom they could have. Or ones created to attack from the sky. Or the water! Oh, it will be beautiful. I'll have the entire country bowing down to me."

Kagura resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She was pretty sure Naraku wasn't completely sane. Then again, she really didn't care. The faster he went nuts the sooner she could die in peace.


	6. Log 5

Sorry, I have no real excuse for not updating lately. I was going to quite but someone reminded me that that wasn't fair to my people here. For full details, see my profile.

**Log 5**

Kagome never allowed herself to not think. It wasn't healthy for the brain to just not think. It was why she didn't watch much TV. However, for the first time in her life, Kagome allowed herself to just not think.

Inuyasha had taken them to the beach and had placed her on the sand behind a cluster of rocks that kept her hidden and provided a bit of shade. Then he had just left.

Kagome knew she should call him back, knew she shouldn't let him go off alone but she also knew she just couldn't look at him at thta moment.

Six men.

Six lives.

Six families.

He had ripped through them without thought or care. She hadn't seen him hesitate even for a moment before killing them. How could she be so close to someone and not even know them enough to sense that deadliness in them.

She looked down at her arm and leg, both of which had his handprints in dark dried blood.

She felt sick.

She stood and ran down to the water and sat in the shallow end and began scrubbing the areas with sand. Then she scrubbed her whole leg and arm. Then moved on to her whole body.

She kept reaching down and grabbing sand and scrubbing furiously at her skin.

She was a scientist! She was an observer! She didn't participate in the world, she watched it and told the participents how it worked.

She was never meant to be covered in blood, never meant to affect the lives she watched.

Now, because of her, six poeple were dead.

It was stupid, a part of her brain whispered.

Inuyasha had done exactly what he had been genetically engineered, exactly what she had genetically engineered him, to do. He had found a threat and took it out with military pricision and without a single thought of remorse.

But he was just a puppy!

"Kagome."

She turned and stared at him as he approached.

His hands were clean now but Kagome could still see the blood as if it had stained them permenantly. In them, instead, were two apples he must have stolen because she hadn't given him money and he didn't understand the concept of buying and selling.

He followed her into the water and sat beside her.

He offered the apple to her but she just stared, stared at the claws that had pierced and torn flesh so easily.

Slowly, she reached up and took it from him.

But she couldn't bring herself to eat it. She just stared at the dark red flesh as she carressed it, wondering how an innocent apple could look so much like blood.

She blinked in surprise when she felt a pair of arms go around her.

Inuyasha had moved behind her and pulled her between his legs. He had his arms around her neck, just holding her as he licked her neck in the only appology he knew how to make.

"I'm not mad." she said honestly as she reached up and held onto his arm with both hands as she watched the apple float away on the water. "I'm...sad."

He said nothing in return. Did he not know that many words?

"You're...mine." she continued. "So those deaths...they're on my head."

He didn't understand.

How could he?

She sighed. "You probably don't know the difference between life and death."

He said nothing, just held onto her.

"I wish..." she sighed again as she felt tears in her eyes. "I wish the world would just dissappear."

As they watched, the sun began sinking at the edge of the water.

"I wish I had never created you." she said as she began crying. "I love you, with all my heart. But..."

"No cry."

She turned to look at him.

"How many words do you know?" she asked, the scientist in her couldn't help but want to know.

He had no answer for her so she burried her face in the crook of his neck.

She had no idea how long they sat there, but by the time she turned away from him, the sun had fully set and the line between the water and the sky was impossible to detect. The stars winked at her from the sky, dulled from the lights of the city but pretty all the same.

It was then that he stood up and she heard him walk out of the water then his footsteps as his bare feet crunched on the sand.

"You're leaving?" she asked feeling strangely numb.

She heard him pause.

"Kagome. I love you."

Kagome gasped and cried all the harder, hiding her face in her hands as her shoulders shook.

A pair of clawed hands didn't comfort her, a pair of golden eyes didn't see it, but his ears still heard it as he ran from her.

He had to go, he couldn't stay.

Kagome feared him, that was all he could think. Even holding her hadn't been the same. He needed to leave her, he needed to learn.

She sat there, alone until the tide began to rise. Then she moved further up the beach and laid in the sand. She knew he was going, she knew she couldn't stop him.

When the sun began rising in the east, she stood up and watched the delicate colors, her arms around her body trying in vain to keep warm.

With no other choice, with him gone and not needing to be explained, Kagome went to the cops.

Three days later, in a government protected facility, Kagome began researching cures for cancer. In exchange for all the information she had and working for them, Kagome was given their protection.

She heard nothing from her hybrid, but the first night in her new quarters on the government, real government base, Kagome woke up to a bright yellow wildflower on her pillow with a single strand of silver hair wrapped around the stem.

She cried over it and missed him.

XXXXXXXXXX

**1 year later...**

"Inuyasha!"

The hybrid jumped up in bed and cried out and pain. "Jesus, Sango! What the hell?"

He glared at his friend and rubbed his sensative ears.

Sango crossed her arms and smiled triumphantly. "I'm not the one sleeping like the dead, dog-boy. Get up."

"Can't go back to sleep with my ears ringing." he snapped as he swung his legs out of bed.

"Miroku has a job for us, you were supposed to be up half an hour ago." she pointed out. Sango was't beautiful, but she was lovely in her own way. Her hair was dark brown, toeing the line between brown and black but never quite crossing it. Her skin was milky smooth, all but a large scar on her back. She was strong and deadly and there was no one Inuyasha would rather have guarding his back in a fight.

She was dressed casually in a pair of baggy cargo pants and a maroon tank top. At the small of her back was a black tattoo she called The Eye though it looked nothing like an eye just a series of swirles inside a larger swirl with tendrals of the swirl surrounding it.

Inuyasha had only hooked up with Miroku's merry band of assholes a few months ago but he knew it was a place where he fit like a glove.

That day he left Kagome, Inuyasha had done what he needed to to survive, namely steal. Not long after that, he was picked up by a gang that taught Inuyasha how to speak and how to fight. It wasn't long that he was with them because everytime he did somethine wrong he saw Kagome's tears.

So he left them and tried working but Inuyasha didn't really exsist. At least, he had no real ID or anything of the like. So he got a job doing manual labor and it was there he met an old man named Myoga who took a real liking to him. The old man had taken it into his head that he was in charge of teaching Inuyasha everything important about life.

When Inuyasha was fired from the manual labor job, no ID no job, the old man followed him. His wife was dead, his kids grown up and gone, and Inuyasha needed him more.

Three more of such jobs later, Inuyasha went back to a more questionable lifestyle, Myoga still following. But Kagome's sad face still invaded his thoughts doing wrong things, for he knew right from wrong now. So he knew it wouldn't last long.

That was when he met Miroku. Miroku had heard whispers of the dog like mna who could do anything and survive the impossible. He had offered Inuyasha a job.

Miroku belonged to a group that, like Inuyasha, didn't exsist. They weren't government run, exactly, but they had been a government brainchild. They opperated under their own rules, raised their own money, bought their own equipment, and killed people the government needed killing. In return, the government looked the other way about what they did and stepped in if any of them got in real trouble.

Inuyasha, being stronger, faster, and better than the others, quickly became the best overshadowing Sango, the former best, in a week.

He had learned that killing was wrong, learned why Kagome cried at him, and knew the difference between bad and good. But he also knew that this was where he belonged. Protecting people was what he was, litterally, created to do. So that was what he did.

In return for his services, Inuyasha was given an official government ID, one that stood up to real scrutiny, and even an artificial past. He was paid but since he was given everything he needed, food, shelter, ect, he never actually used it.

Instead, every month, he gave his pay to a special government delivery boy who took it to MedLab Inc and gave it to the best scientist there. The only scientist who never left the compound and who had a guard at her door everynight.

That, and a single flower. Different everytime, but perfect in every way.

"You're brooding again." Sango chastised.

Inuyasha flipped her off but otherwise had no reaction.

Would Kagome be proud of him, he often wondered. Of what he had become. He still killed, but everyone he took down was bad. That was worth something, right?

He hadn't seen her in a year and he missed her like crazy.

"You weren't at the mission briefing last night." Sango said.

"Didn't need to be." Inuyasha stood up and stretched. "I don't care about the details. Just point and say go."

"Fine." Sango shrugged. "I guess that the mission has to do with MedLabs isn't interesting to you at all."

"What?" Inuyasha snapped to attention, his eyes focusing hard on her.

"Nope, you said that wasn't important." Sango shrugged and made to leave.

A second later, Inuyasha was blocking her path. "That's not funny. Sango."

She smiled in pity at him. "The attacks from Kikyo's men have reached levels their security can't handle. The men up top know about your...connection with their target and thought it would be perfect."

"So..." he said unsure of how to say the words. It wasn't that his grasp of language wasn't astronomically better than it had been just a year ago, but...the concept itself was so...

"You're going to meet your maker." Sango said dramatically then left, clapping her hand on his shoulder.

Sango didn't care that he surpassed her in skill, hell the man wasn't even human so it wasn't like it was an even playing field. She had a lot of respect and admiration for the dog-man. And they were partners, so they trusted each other unquestionably. So she knew all about his past, knew about his tie to the scientist. She was happy they would meet again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I don't need a baby sitter." Kagome said rebelliously, as she slammed her notes around. The leaps made in cancer research because of her were unbelievable but she knew that it wasn't the best she could do. Her masterpiece was currently out there in the world somewhere. The only reason she knew he wasn't dead was because of her monthly gifts. The last of which had been delivered only a week ago.

She didn't know where he got money, or even what was happening to him. All she knew was that he was alive and that was all she needed.

"Kagome listen to reason..." her 'boss' Hojo said desperately. He never demanded from his employees, instead only asking politely. Kagome was normally happy to do whatever it was he wanted but not this time.

She was perfectly safe, damn it. She didn't need a shadow everywhere she went.

"The attempts to snatch you have gotten worse lately." Hojo begged. "And it's not like the guards will be some lugs off the street. They are government approved."

"No!" Kagome said stubbornly and she began peering into her microscope. There wasn't anything on the slide but a sample she had already created a perfect sketch of and examined completely. But maybe if Hojo saw she was busy he would go away.

"They're coming today." he said in as strong a voice he could muster, which wasn't all that foreceful at all. "And...and that's that! So there."

Kagome giggled once. He was cute when he was trying to be tough.

"I'm serious." Hojo said, flushing a bit in embaressment like he knew why she was laughing.

"No, thank you." Kagome said as she looked away from her miscroscope and began typing away on her computer.

She heard a knock on her lab door. "Sir, they're here." Clint, an intern with all the personality of a sponge, told Hojo.

"Good, send them in." Hojo nodded as Kagome ignored them both, typing with her back to the door. "See Kagome, they're on their way."

"Ooh, goodie." Kagome said with obviously false cheer.

"They won't inturrupt your work in any way." Hojo said. "They'll just-"

"Follow me everywhere I go and stare at me as I work." Kagome finished for him.

"You act like you want to be kidnapped." Hojo shook his head.

Kagome said nothing.

Why was she so against the guards? It didn't make sense. She had agreed to work here for the protection given to her. So why was she trying to deny that same protection?

Because she didn't want any body guards.

She wanted a guard dog.

She sighed and as her typing slowed to almost nothing.

"Ah, welcome." Hojo said behind her as the door opened again and new footsteps came into the room. "You must be the new guard. Kagome, wont you greet your new friends?"

Kagome said nothing.

Hojo laughed nervously. "She's just a bit..." he worked his lips like a fish out of water because he was unsure the right word to describe her as 'uncooperative' didn't have a good connotation. "Overworked." he finished lamely. "She's really very nice once you get to know her."

"Really?" A female asked as Kagome picked up her typing again. Maybe if she got finished early, she could go back to her room and sulk for the rest of the day in peace.

"Kagome, please?" Hojo begged pathetically.

"Go away." Kagome said quite unhappy with him for no good reason at all. The knowledge of which just served to make her irritated. Nothing was quite as frustraiting as knowing you had no basis for your anger and couldn't help but be angry.

"Just stand at the door." she heard Hojo instructing. "Try to be quiet. Maybe if you prove to be not annoying Miss Grumpy Pants will let you stay."

"You're still here." Kagome pointed out as she pulled her notes to her and began going through them.

"We'll be good." the woman said again.

Hojo sighed once more, then Kagome heard him pause, felt his stare at her back, before the door opened and was closed again.

She sighed and set her notes down.

"That was meant of me." she said not knowing if she was talking to them or herself. "He was only looking out for me."

She was staring at her lap, thinking about how to appologize later, when she heard a set of footsteps approach her.

She felt heat at her back.

"I've missed you." A destinctly male voice whispered in her ear.

Kagome turned so fast she was sure her she got whiplash.


	7. Log 6

I had forgotten how much fun this could be :)

**Log 6**

Inuyasha yawned and tried to look bored.

'tried' being the keyword.

He was excited, Sango could tell. They were driving down the road to MedLab, in a big van with all of their, as Inuyasha called them, toys in the back.

Inuyasha was relaxed, his booted feet up on the dash as he twirled a yellow flower between his fingers. He didn't drive, ever. He didn't know how. Sango had to remind herself all the time that despite how he looked, he was only a few years old

"What's the flower for?" she asked as she moved her hair out of her eyes. The windows were open, it was a beautiful day. A good omen, she thought as a van passed them going in the oppsite direction. The driver waved at her with a smile and Sango waved back.

Deffinately a good day.

"The first thing I ever gave Kagome was a flower." Inuyasha said. The exact same kind of flower too. He hadn't thought about it then, his thought process wasn't all that complex then. He just needed to show her somehow, someway, that he still cared despite leaving her.

Life was simpler when he thought simpler.

Then again, if he hadn't grown and matured, he would probably not be able to face Kagome now, proud. A grown man now, much more than he had been when he left her despite only a year having passed.

He wondered what she would think when she saw him. Deep down, he just wanted her to smile again. The last time he saw her, she was crying, the last time he smelled her, her scent had been dulled by saddness.

The last thing he said to her was 'I love you'. He was going to tell her that again.

As a man this time. A man fully realized.

He wondered how she had changed?

"You're really happy, aren't you?" Sango asked, a small smile on her face as the MedLab building came into view.

"Keh." he scoffed. "Of course. It's not often 'meet your maker' has such a good ring to it."

"What was it like?" Sango asked. She had often wondered what it was like to be raised in a lab.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Pretty boring. The same thing day after day." He looked at his flower and smiled slightly. "But she was worth it."

"Damn." Sango said. "You got it bad, huh?"

Inuyasha scoffed again. "You'll understand when you meet her."

"I can't wait." Sango said. "Though, quick question."

"What?" Inuyasha looked at her as they pulled up at the entrance.

"Isn't she kind of your mom?" she asked.

"Not even close." Inuyasha said as she snickered.

"Can we help you?" the guard at the gate asked as he came up to the already open window.

"I'm Sango. This is Inuyasha." Sango pointed respectively. "We're here for the guard duty on Dr. Higurashi."

The guard paused then looked behind him at his buddy and Inuyasha sat up as the smell of panic started rolling off of him though he looked as calm as he had a moment ago.

"Can I see your papers?" he asked.

"Sure." Sango held grabbed the letter from MedLab, a letter from Miroku, and both of their IDs and passed them over.

Inuyasha watched carefully, not liking the smell that was coming from the man.

"Sango Taijiya?" he asked.

"That's me." Sango winked. "So, we all good."

"I'm afraid not, ma'am." he said and Sango's face fell.

"Why not?" she asked finally getting as suspicious as Inuyasha already was.

"We already checked Sango and Inuyasha in about 45 minutes ago." the man said looking at them. "And checked them back out not but two minutes ago."

"What?" Sango cried out as Inuyasha jumped from the car.

"Hey!" the guard said but Inuyasha had already jumped over the gate and was running inside.

"The van!" Sango said as she remembered the man who had waved at her.

She threw the car into reverse and turned it around before screaching off away from the building.

She was speeding back down the way they came when she heard a familiar thud on the roof of the van and a moment later Inuyasha slipped in through the window.

"Damn!" Inuyasha said. "I'd recognize that smell anywhere."

"What smell?" Sango asked.

"Naraku." he growled, his memories of the hated man fresh on his mind. He had never like him, not just because he wasn't nice to Kagome. He had smelled, though he didn't know it at the time, the malice that came from him. He knew something about him wasn't right, instinctively. "How the hell did they let that fuck in?"

"They had our papers." Sango growled as her hands tightened on the steering wheel.

"Shit!" Inuyasha punched the dash and she heard the airbag deploy and pop in the same moment.

"Stop breaking the van!" Sango snapped. "We pay for damages."

"How did I not smell her as they passed?" he asked himself more than her.

"You're not perfect, dog-boy." Sango said then cursed and slapped the steeringwheel as they went into traffic and they had to slow. "We missed them."

"Damn!"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome groaned in pain as the van hit another bump and she was slammed onto the floor of the metal contraption.

Her arms were tied behind her back rather uncomfortably, not her wrists, her arms. Her elbows down to her wrists and across her chest were bound leaving her no way to wiggle out of it. Her legs weren't bound but it didn't do much good. She wasn't alone in the back of the vehicle.

A woman with short black hair and a curious expression was there. It was that woman who had tied her up so damn uncomfortably. She was currently braiding more rope togeher, it seemed to be her hobby.

"Are you sure she's secure, Yura?" Naraku asked from the front seat.

Kagome glared at him but couldn't speak. A rope with a large knot in the middle had been tied around her head with the knot crammed into her jaw preventing any comprehensable sound from passing her lips.

"Yeah, yeah." she said as she kept braiding. It was a lot more complex than the simple three strands into one plait Kagome knew. "No one gets out of that without cutting the rope. It's impossible. I call it the Trap Knot." She looked rather pleased with herself.

Kagome transfered her glare to her and mumbled a few things even she wasn't sure she understood.

"Oh, dear." Yura looked at her surprised. "You're not comfortable? You're lucky. Most people get the Hopeless Knot. But that knot slowly strangles you as you move it. We need you alive. See now don't you feel better?"

Kagome mumbled something unpleasent.

"Don't worry, my little science prodigy." Naraku smiled at her in the rearview mirror as they merged with traffic. "You'll die soon enough, I promise. But we need something from you first."

"I'll die first!" Kagome meant to say but it came out as "A-e-ah."

Naraku laughed at her predicament and made a sharp, sudden left sending her crashing into the side of the van.

Since she couldn't put up her hands, her head slammed into metal and she saw stars as she felt something warm trickle down her arm. The rope was so tight it cut into her skin, making her bleed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I smell her!" Inuyasha said suddenly.

"Huh?" Sango looked at him confused for a second before turning her attention back to the road. Did everyone and their mother all decide to drive white vans today!

"Go forward!" he instructed, pointing to a van just like any other at least three miles ahead of them.

"How do you smell her now and not thirty seconds ago?" Sango asked as she slipped through traffic with ease.

"She's bleeding." Inuyasha growled. Kagome's blood was one scent he would never forget.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome groaned pathetically as she tried to sit up but her head felt like it was splitting open.

She refused to pass out, she absolutely refused!

So her vision grayed for a moment but she didn't actually loose conciousness.

"Oh." Yura cocked her head as she watched the girl struggle. "I think you hit her too hard, Naraku. She looks a little dazed."

"Bitch." Naraku sneered but he didn't do it again. Kikyo wouldn't be happy if Kagome was damaged beyond repair.

At least for now.

"Huh?" Yura looked up with Kagome as they heard a thud on the roof of the car. "What was that?"

"What?" Naraku asked not really paying attention. His mind was occupied with torture and other such goodies he had in store for the little science whore.

A second later Yura cried out as the sound of ripping metal filled the van and the top was peeled back.

Kagome thought she had passed out.

There was no way her precious Inuyasha was jumping into the newly created sunroof dressed in jeans and boots with a gun on his hip.

He deffinately wasn't punching Yura in the face, sending her down, before turning to her.

And there was no way he was picking her up like she was made of spun glass before jumping out of the van with Naraku's cries of outrage in her ears.

But damn wouldn't that be great if it had happened, she thought as the darkness descended on her.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"What the hell is with these knots?" Inuyasha asked as he cut them from Kagome's limp body. Sango was speeding back to base, trying not to look at her friend's...what was the right word for her anyway?

He finally pulled the last of the rope away and heard Kagome moan in pain as normal bloodflow returned to the abused appendages.

"Is she okay?" Sango asked.

"Looks like she got hit on the head." Inuyasha said looking at the lump. "But she should be fine."

"Hell of a reunion, huh?" Sango laughed.

Inuyasha didn't answer, he just pulled Kagome closer and inhaled the sweet, familiar scent.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"I wont lie. I'm surprised." Miroku said as he gazed down at the girl.

Miroku looked like a punk adolescent with his double pierced ear and small ponytail. But Inuyasha didn't know anyone, except maybe old Myoga, who was so wise.

"I do believe the order was to protect." he continued.

"Hey, we got her in one piece." Sango said old lady Keade, a retired nurse and the go-to lady for Miroku's people, finished looking Kagome over.

"She'll be fine." she told them, specifically Inuyasha who was hovering. "If she's not awake in the next hour call me."

With that she turned and left the guest room of her house which doubled as a nurse's office.

"We should have been there earlier." Inuyasha disagreed with Sango.

"Oi!" Miroku said. "No pity parties! New Rule: No Pity Parties!"

"Keh." Inuyasha said but his face was still rather sad.

"Come on, Miroku." Sango grabbed his arm and led him from the room. "Let's go see if Keade needs anything."

"Very well, my love." he agreed knowing that Inuyasha needed a moment.

Inuyasha waited for the door to close before reaching up and pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ears.

"Sorry." he whispered.

Kagome moaned and her eyes tightened before they blinked open. "Inu...yasha?" she said quietly looking at him but not really focused.

"Yeah." he said taking her hand in his. "I'm back."

"You're talking." she said, a small smile forming on her face. She felt oddly...calm. Maybe she died and this was heaven.

"Yeah, I kinda picked it up." he smirked. "It's not that hard when the people around you aren't saying things like pyrimidines and quadruplex structures."

"Is that what it was?" she said as her eyes began focusing. "I always wondered why you didn't pick it up."

"Maybe if you science geeks used reasonable words I would have." his smile took the sting from the words.

He watched her blink a few times as her eyes finally focused and awareness came back into them.

"Inuyasha?" she sat up slightly.

"Hey." he smirked. "How you been?"

"Inuyasha!" she jumped up and threw herself into his arms. "You're real! You're real!"

"You should know that better than anyone." he laughed as he hugged her back.

"You're talking!" she leaned back to drink in his face then threw herself back into the hug. "And you're wearing shoes!"

"Yeah, that's what's impressive about this situation." he said, snarkily.

"And you're sarcastic!" she cried out as if nothing could please her more.

"Well, I did develope my own personality." he shrugged carelessly but was pleased to the bottom of his toes.

"I've missed you." she gasped on the verge of tears but not actually crying for which Inuyasha was thankful. "And you saved me."

"Of course." he smirked. "You're my Kagome, why woudn't I?"

Kagome laughed happily and couldn't bring herself to let go of him. He didn't mind, he pulled her completely into his lap so she would be more comfortable and allowed the scent he had denied himself for a year to wrap around his body.


	8. Log 7

**Log 7**

"Let me get this straight." Kikyo said quietly as she carressed, almost lovingly, the painting under hands. An original, stolen from a museum. She loved fine things, expensive things. "Because, haha, I'm sure I must have heard you wrong."

Behind her, Naraku and Yura stood. Yura was pouting, thrusting out her breasts as she did hoping that maybe a little les in Kikyo would like the display and forgive her. Naraku, however, stood proud with his face unappologetic and his arms crossed almost deffiantly.

Almost.

"You had her, bound and gagged in the van. And you lost her." Kikyo repeated softly, dangerously.

"Sorry, Kiki." Yura said twisting a little in shame, a movement which also displayed her hips. "That little doggy of hers came back, you know."

"I don't care!" Kikyo screached as she turned, scratching her priceless painting with her nails as she did so. "You had her! She was ours! And you LOST HER!"

"He jumped onto our car." Naraku said slowly. "In _moving _traffic. Then he ripped the metal from the van like he was peeling back a can of sardines and jumped out with her."

"Of course!" Kikyo screached as she advanced upon them. "That's what he was created to do! What I paid good money to happen!"

She sighed and turned from them as a dark smile came to her face. "He's perfect. Everything I wanted in the hybrid species. He's a little prettier than I planned, but a girl can't have everything. But the speed, the strength. He ripped the van open, I saw the damage myself. My kami, it was beautiful..." her voice faded as she brought the image back to mind.

"But that doesn't excuse YOUR failure!" She turned back to them. "You HAD her! Do you not comprehend that?"

"I'm sorry, Kiki." Yura pouted. "But my specialty is knots, not kidnapping."

"Are you blaming me you worthless-!"

"Naraku!" Kikyo cut him off as he turned to Yura, raising his fist. "It's my job to punish. And Yura is right. She had the girl properly bound. This failure is yours." She smirked. "Just another one on the list, huh? Tell me, Naraku, what do I keep you here for? You're inability to do anything is astounding to me."

Naraku snarled but said nothing.

"Exactly." Kikyo approached him and stared fearlessly into his face. "You know who the master is, don't you? Like that worthless expirament, you are all my dogs. You bite when I command, you fetch when I command. But if you keep up this regretable trend of failures, I'm going to find me a new smart dog. You are not Kagome, Naraku. _You _are replacable. Now leave. Go back to your kennel."

Naraku swollowed his pride, nearly choked on it, as he turned and left.

"Yura." Kikyo turned to her.

"Yes, Kiki?" she answered, her eyes big and innocent looking.

"I want to be entertained." she said. "There's a man I want dead, kill him while I watch. How well you do will affect how I punish you for this."

Yura beamed wide. "Oh, I have just the knots. I call it The Crusher. Wait until you see this one..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"...and I was running, trying to get away but they were in cars and I was on foot. They were keeping up a little too easily." Inuyasha said. Then paused and looked down.

Kagome was laying on his chest, looking up at him as he spoke, not saying a word, just watching.

"Am I boring you?" he asked.

"Uh-uh." Kagome shook her head and smiled as she cuddled closer to his familar heat. "It's just...strange watching you talk."

He smirked and pushed her hair behind her ear.

There was nothing sexual about their closeness, not at all. It was familiar, cozy, like laying in your childhood bed after being away from home for a long time. Comfortable, secure, safe.

"You've grown." she said looking deep into his eyes.

"I know." he tilted his head as he watched her. It was dark out and they hadn't bothered to turn on the light. They had been secluded there for a few hours in Keade's guest room but no one had bothered them. He had heard Sango deter both the old lady and Miroku more than once and reminded himself to thank her.

"Not just physically, though you have grown a bit there." Kagome clearified.

"I know." he repeated.

Kagome smiled and took a deep breath, drawing his scent in. She didn't have near the power of Inuyasha's nose but she could still enjoy his scent. It wasn't a dog scent, persay, but it was a bit canine. Mixed with forest loam and sandlewood. The sandlewood was different making her think he used it to bath.

They fell quiet, just enjoying each others company.

A while later, Inuyasha spoke. "You know, Sango asked a fair question."

"Oh?" Kagome said as she adjusted her weight to make herself more comfortable.

"She asked why I don't think of you as my mom." he said.

"Because I'm not your mom." Kagome said simply.

Inuyasha mulled that over for a moment, then said, "Explain."

"You're mother is sample 32U." she said. "You're father is sample 44F. Canine male, human female."

"Explain...more." he said. He wasn't looking at her, he was looking at the ceiling. But he was paying attention. He was a very fast learner.

"I did raise you." Kagome continued. "But were I the one who...I guess 'bore you' would be the phrase here, you would hold a bit of my scent in you." She sat up a bit and looked down at him as his gaze transfered to her. "I can't be certain, of course, but I hypothosized about six months before we left the compound that because I didn't carry any of your scent, you instinctively knew I wasn't your mother."

"So, you thought of this before?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome nodded and grunted her assent. "I was constantly checking on canine and human behaviors toward mothers and foster mothers. A regular canine wouldn't notice the difference, but human children are a bit smarter than pups and _can _tell the difference. Even newborns don't recognize their foster mothers at first, the attachment grows as the bond between them increases in duration.

"The human instincts in you treated me as a mother as you were growing, but the canine never did." Kagome laid back down but kept her head elevated so she could still see into his eyes. He had put his hand behind his head in order to lift it up a bit. "And, as you matured, your human instincts took a lesson, figuratively speaking, from your canine ones and stopped seeing me as 'mother'. Had you really seen me as mother, your canine would have had you trying to suckle me when you were young but you never did. You treated me more like...a pack member."

"Pack member." Inuyasha repeated. "I can see that." He nodded as if this made sense to him. "Why not a sibling?"

"We shared no scent." Kagome repeated. "It's the lack of shared scent that keeps you from seeing me as 'family'."

Inuyasha nodded.

They fell silent again.

A while later, Kagome asked, "Why did you return now?"

"It was chosen for me." he said quietly.

"...Would you have ever have come for me?" she asked not looking in his eyes.

"I would have." he said without hesitation. "I was trying to learn, assimilate to society. Make myself your equal, make myself better able to protect you before I came for you again."

He sat up quickly in alarm as he smelled the salt of her tears. "Hey! Don't cry! I mean it, I would have come for you. I would have!"

He grabbed her by her upper arms and tried to get her to look at him but she kept her eyes downcast. "Kagome..."

"You left me..." she whispered, almost too soft to hear. "You just...left."

"I had to." he tried to explain. "Being with me was keeping you from seeking aid. And I had to go out and learn for myself."

Kagome didn't respond but he saw tears fall from her down turned face and hit the bed between them. "I wanted you with me..." she said at last.

"And I wanted to stay." he promised. "But I had to go."

Kagome fell onto his chest and wrapped her arms around his torso. He held her close, almost desperately, as he felt a very familiar guilt squeeze his heart.

So he held onto her, squeezed her as hard as he could without hurting her, and tried to convince her, without words, that he meant what said. He wouldn't let her go again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I didn't expect her to be so pretty." Miroku admitted as he drank his steaming cup of tea. Keade was busy cleaning her dishes, Sango offered to help but the old woman insisted she could do it herself. "I pictured her a bit older, big glasses, wither very skinny or pudgy."

"Rude." Sango said. "And you know he can hear you, right?"

"He never told us what she looked like." Miroku shrugged. "It's his fault. Are you sure we shouldn't-"

"Yes." Sango said definitively. "He hasn't seen her in a year, he deserves his privacy with her. At least for now. I want to meet her too but he needs this."

In truth, Sango had kind of thought of Kagome sort of like the fairy godmother. Powerful but not real. Afterall, just how did one go about creating a human much less a super human? Magic was the only way Sango could imagine though she knew it was science. Meeting the mind behind her partner's imense _power _would be a bit like meeting the fairy godmother. She looked sweet and kind and normal but you knew she wasn't.

"I wonder if she's intimidating..." Miroku wondered aloud.

"Huh?" Sango blinked as he pulled her from her wonderings. "Who?"

"Miss Kagome, of course." he shrugged. "Inuyasha is smart but so am I. This woman..."

"She's a genius." Sango filled in the blank.

"Exactly." Miroku nodded. "I would like to be a friend of hers, never hurts to know someone so smart, you know. But all I can think is, 'I wonder how Einstein's friends felt'?"

"I'm pretty sure most people thought Einstein was crazy." Sango shrugged. "Inuyasha told me she was perfect but I think he's a bit biased."

"We'll leave in the morning, Miss Keade." Miroku told her. "Let's let Inuyasha have his reuniun in peace."

"What's the plan?" Sango asked.

"That will depend on Kagome and Inuyasha." Miroku said. "Or, more specifically, it will depend on Kagome as I'm sure Inuyasha will follow where ever she leads.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I'm burnt out." Kagome said softly.

"What?" Inuyasha turned to look at her.

It was morning but the room was still dark, the curtains had been drawn leaving everything in shadow. It was like they were trying to elongate the hours they got in peace together. But Inuyasha was up, putting on his boots and Kagome was sitting on the edge of the bed feeling a bit...depressed.

"I'm burnt out." she repeated with a dull laugh. "I don't have anymore in me."

"Anymore what?" Inuyasha asked as he returned to the bed and sat beside her.

Kagome looked at him then laid her head on his shoulder. "Science." she laughed sadly again. "I spent years struggling to get my degrees, and now I just...can't do it anymore."

"Huh?" Inuyasha blinked.

"No." Kagome shook her head as she leaned back. "That's not right. I _can_ do it, I just...don't want to anymore."

"Explain." Inuyasha said.

Kagome took a deep breath and held it as she thought it through. "I was...unhappy at MedLab. Everyone always told me 'look at what we've done. All thanks to...' to...me." Kagome shook her head. "But I knew I could do better than just advance cancer research. I created a subspecies of human from two completely incompatable sets of DNA. I bet I could cure cancer no problem."

She shook her head as her smile faded. "But I just...don't want to anymore. You, Inuyasha." she looked him in the eye. "You are my greatest creation, I know I am never going to create anything as marvelous, as amazing, as you. I have no where left to go now, I've climbed as high as I can. And now that I've done the impossible, now that I've rewritten the laws of science itself, I'm just burnt out.

"I don't want to go back to MedLab." she concluded. "Inuyasha...I don't know what I want anymore."

He put his arm around her and pulled her close. "Then you're not going back."

"But-"

"No buts." he insisted. "You know what I want?"

"What?" she whispered.

"I want to see the world." he smiled. "It was the first thing ever really _wanted_. Watching TV in an hourly motel I figured out that I want to see everything the world has to offer."

Kagome remained silent, thinking.

"And I want you with me." he said, completely sure of himself. "I want to buy boat and just take you around the world. I want that, more than anything."

"Around the world..." Kagome said quietly.

"Yeah." Inuyasha nodded. "See the coral reefs in Australia, see the Savanah of Africa, the temples of Greece, the cities of America, the museums of France. Everything."

"It sounds...nice." she said at last.

"Doesn't it?" he lauged once. "I want that and I want you with me every step of the way."

Kagome made a sound in her throat, a mix of moan and sigh of pleasure. "What did I do to deserve you?"

"You created me." he winked. "But, there is something we have to do first. And by 'we' I mean 'me'."

"What?" Kagome asked wondering why his voice got so serious.

"Kikyo's gang." he said darkly. "They're after you and just leaving Japan isn't enough. I'm sure we could escape them easy but I don't want to run."

"Inuyasha-"

"Her and that bastard Naraku have tried much too often to hurt you." he cut her off. "I will live my dream with you, but they die first."

"Inuyasha." Inuyasha felt her pull away from him slightly and he tightened his arms around her, bringing her back.

"I thought about that day, a lot." he said. "I know now why you were so upset and I know the difference between right and wrong. But let's get this straight, I don't regret what I did."

Kagome tried not to cry.

"Those men had hunted us for while, the same ones everytime." he said. "I took them out because they were a threat to you and if I had to I would do it again. I don't think of killing those bastards as wrong."

She was still pulling away from him, emotionally if not physically.

"I am as you created me, Kagome." Inuyasha said. "Protecting you is the one thing I know for certain is the right thing and it's what I'm going to do. Kikyo, Naraku, and all their little underling will go down. I promise you that."

"But..." she wasn't sure what to say. His actions were _her _fault. He did what he did because of _her_.

"I am my own person now, Kagome." he said as if reading her thoughts. "I make my own choices and face the consequences myself. I don't need your protection anymore."

She felt so strange. Pride in him, pride in herself. Grief, guilt, love, happiness. It was all mixed in one big jumble in her body.

"I give myself to you." he continued. "I am yours as you are mine. I'll bring down those people because they need to go down then I'll live peacefully with you because that's what we need."

"What if you..." she trailed off not certain she even wanted to put _that _idea out there.

"Hey." he scoffed. "Have some faith in your own creation. I'll be fine, I'm doing exactly what I was designed to do. Taking down the enemies of my master." He pushed her hair aside and leaned down to lick her neck, exactly what he had always done growing up.

It made her spine tingle not unpleasently.

"I'm not your master." Kagome insisted.

"And that's exactly why you have my loyalty." he nuzzled her neck for a moment. "Now let's go. I want you to meet my friends."


	9. Log 8

I honestly forgot how much fun this is. I thought writting these would be like pulling teeth but it's just pouring out of me. One story at a time, true. But that's something right? :D

**Log 8**

"...and that is the safety." Sango pointed to the gun in Kagome's hand. It was small, girlie Sango called it, but it fit perfectly in Kagome's hands.

They, Kagome, Sango, and Inuyasha, were at the gunrange Miroku ran to make money. They were trying to teach Kagome to shoot.

They all had earplugs in, except Inuyasha who had ear plugs and noise deadening, specially designed ear covers. He was also standing about ten feet away from the girls but he insisted on being there.

"So, I flip it this way to turn the safety on?" Kagome said flipping it.

"Right." Sango nodded in approval. "You're picking this up well."

"I am very smart." Kagome beamed. "But, uh...I should warn you. I'm very bad at...aiming."

"You don't need to be a sniper." Sango laughed. "Just hit the paper." She pointed to the end of the range where a white paper with a human etched it black was hung.

"Alright?"

"Ready." Kagome held the gun up as she was instructed.

"Shoot off six rounds." Sango said. "Go."

BANG!

"OW!" Kagome let go out it and shook her hand. "Was it supposed to do that?"

"Yes. It's called kickback." Sango nodded patiently as Inuyasha winced from the bang.

"It hurt." Kagome groaned as she looked up. "Did I hit it?"

"Just shoot five more then we'll bring it up to check." Sango said.

Five more 'bang's, four more 'ow's, later, Sango hit the button that summoned the paper. "Not bad for your first time." she said encouragingly.

"I stunk on ice." Kagome pointed as she flipped the safety on and put the thing down.

Inuyasha approached and stopped behind them just as the paper stopped in front.

"Uh, well..." Sango tried to correct her but she was looking at the paper and...

"Not one, huh?" Kagome sighed.

"I think it hit the edge, here." Inuyasha said pointing to a tear on one side.

"No, I made that when I hung it up." Kagome pouted.

"Don't worry." Sango laughed sheepishly. "It's a skill, it has to be honed and practiced. No one's good at it right out the gate."

"Were you?" Kagome asked.

"I'm the exception." Sango said as she sent the undamaged paper back. "Try again, aim hard this time."

"I'm a thinker, not a shooter." Kagome grumbled as she aimed the gun again and Inuyasha backed off.

"You need to learn self defense." Sango said not for the first time. "You never know when you'll need it."

Kagome mumbled something as she re-aimed.

"What was that?" Sango asked.

"I said, that's why I have Inuyasha." she said before taking the shot.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_"Ah, look at them. Marvelous." Kikyo admired the small army of hybrids before her. Dogs, snakes, rats, cats, fish, birds; so many types each willing and happy to lay down their lives for her._

_"Aren't they?" Kagome asked, looking at her clipboard. "I'll admit, I had some trouble with the wings on number 17, but when I finally got them right it worked like magic."_

_"Oh, wow!" Yura whistled appreciatively as she looked over a particularly handsome mole hybrid. "What's this one do?"_

_"Excevation, mostly." Kagome shrugged. "I figured you never know when you'll need to dig."_

_"It's perfect, Kagome." Kikyo beamed at her._

_"Incredible." Kagura nodded. "Much better than anything Naraku tried. I should know."_

_They all laughed appreciatively at the joke._

_"Yes." Kikyo hugged Kagome. "I'm so glad I have you. What do I need men for when I have girls like you?"_

_"Aw, Kiki do you mean it?" Yura asked._

_"Of course!" Kikyo laughed. "Naraku's worthlessness is astounding."_

_"Kikyo." Kanna walked into the room. "I just got off the phone with the prime minister of England. He agreed to give control of their country over to us if we just spare the people."_

_"Really?" Yura giggled. "I love it when things go this smoothly."_

_"How many countries is that now?" Kagome asked, scratching her head. "I lost track somewhere around Italy."_

_"Well, let me think..." Kagura crossed her arms in thought. "We have Japan, every country in Africa. How many countries were in Africa before?"_

_"Who cares!" Yura threw up her hands in celebration. "It's all one big country now!"_

_"Then of course Italy, Germany-"_

_"Wait, when did we get Germany?" Kagome asked._

_"Last week, remember?" Yura laughed. "They fought back and we destroyed nearly half their country before they finally fell."_

_"You should remember, we lost half the wolf force in that fight." Kikyo reminded her._

_"Is that why I got the request for more wolves?" Kagome blinked in surprise. "I didn't see it until I got back from training the ocean team."_

_"Hey, Kiki?" Yura inturrupted her. "Is it okay if I stay with Kagome tonight?"_

_"What's wrong with Kagura?" Kikyo asked._

_"Tch." Kagura smirked. "She thinks I'm too rough."_

_"It's not that I don't like it, Kag." Yura pouted. "But sometimes, I like being carressed too."_

_"Sorry, Yura." Kikyo shook her head. "I plan on teaching Kagome a thing or two about 'rough' tonight."_

_"Really?" Kagome laughed in excitement._

_"Kagy gets all the fun." Yura crossed her arms._

_"How about you two join us tonight?" Kikyo asked. "The more the merrier. And with England down we can rest a bit before focusing on Russia."_

_"Yay!" Yura jumped in happiness._

_"And thanks to Kagome, I've got a pair of properly working lungs so I can enjoy it." Kagura nodded. "Unlike that worthless Naraku, Kagome is so incredible."_

_"Aw, Kagura. Go on." Kagome blushed from the compliment._

_"Yeah, that Naraku couldn't think himself out of a wet paper bag." Yura laughed._

_"I should know." Kagura repeated and they all laughed._

_"Yeah, he's so stupid."_

_"Worthless."_

_"Pitiful."_

_"Weak."_

_"Lame."_

_"Secondary."_

Naraku cried out at he shot up in bed, his breathing hard and sweating.

"Damn." he cursed as he curled his hands into fists. His room was dark, he was naked, and it was so damn cold!

Naraku's hatred of women was growing by the day. Worthless whores. Stupid sluts. Cuniving Cunts. Oh, he had a million of them.

And these damn women were slowly destroying his universe.

He held his fists in front of him and squeezed, picturing Kikyo's neck there.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Miroku thought about it carefully. "So, let me get this straight. This is like a two weeks notice, right?"

"Two weeks notice?" Inuyasha's brow furrowed as he thought it over. "Explain."

"It's the notice you give a boss two weeks before quiting." Miroku said, long used to Inuyasha stopping a conversation to have something explained to him.

"Oh, then yes. If it takes two weeks to take down Kikyo and company, then this is my two weeks notice." Inuyasha nodded.

"You're just going to get into a boat and drive off with your pretty scientist?" he clearified.

"Yes." Inuyasha nodded again.

"Well, more power to you." Miroku sat back in his, for lack of a better word, office.

What they did, what Miroku's group did was so hush hush that the group didn't even have a name. They were government but so underground there were mob families with less secrets. They raised their own money, they found their own 'employees', and they based themselves where ever they felt safe.

For the last two and a half years, they had taken over an abondoned building that the government had condemed but never demolished. Miroku's office was a room with no windows, one scared desk, a chair and a half (the half was missing a leg and the back and had to be sat on a certain way), and a single lamp that let off only enough light so it wasn't exactly dark.

The walls had peeling/faded wallpaper from sometime in the fifties, the wood of the floor was crumbling and if one walked on it without thick soled shoes they risked tetnus.

"Where is the pretty little scientist anyway?" Miroku looked around as if expecting her to pop out from behind nowhere as the room was pretty much empty.

"Kagome." Inuyasha corrected. "And she's sleeping in the basement right now. That shooting lesson took it out of her." She had bruises on her fingers, delicate fingers more at home on the knob of a miscroscope than a barrel of a gun. She had tried to hide them But Inuyasha's eyes were quicker than her hands.

"Is she going to stay there?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha shook his head. The basement was a place for Miroku's people to stay once injured or needing to lay low, very low. As such, it was considered common courtesy to not stay there unless you had to.

"I'm taking her to my place." he shrugged carelessly but inside he was excited. His Kagome got to see _his _place. A place he had bought with money he earned with his own hands. Granted, it was a crappy apartment in the worst part of the bad part of town, but it was home.

Plus, people knew better than to mess with the fucker in 6C. The first time he had been robbed, he tracked the theives by scent and left them sure they had just barely escaped death. It only took a few more times before word spread that the crazy fucker in 6C didn't kid around. No one bothered him and Myoga anymore.

"Alright." Miroku nodded. "You can track down Kikyo's gang if you want. She has a bounty on her head anyway. As does Naraku and a few other people in her orginazation."

Bounty was the term they used for the unofficial reward the government posted on people. They gave Miroku the list of who was wanted and for how much and his people picked and hunted.

"How much." Inuyasha asked.

"Enough to buy a good sized boat." Miroku pulled what looked like a wallet from his pocket. He opened it and, instead of money and credit card clots, there were multiple 'pages' of tiny slots only big enough to hold a tiny memory chip.

"Here." he passed one over. "This is everything on Kikyo and her people."

"Thanks." Inuyasha took an equally tiny case off of Miroku's desk and slipped the chip inside. The he slipped the waterproof case under his tongue and smiled. "Thanks."

"Sure." Miroku shrugged. "I wont lie, I'll hate to see you go. You're the best I've ever had."

"Best you'll ever get, too." Inuyasha smirked. "But this isn't what I want for Kagome."

"I get it, I get it." Miroku nodded knowingly. "Gotta keep the woman happy if you want some."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Gutter, Miroku. Get out of it. Me and Kagome aren't having sex."

"Oh?" Miroku smiled at him. "In that case, may I-"

"If you like life, I don't recommend finishing that thought." Inuyasha smiled at him pleasently.

Miroku laughed without worry. "Sure, sure. What has Sango said about this?"

"She's sticking with me, of course." Inuyasha said. "She says any enemy of mine is an enemy of hers."

"She's a good woman." Miroku nodded.

"She even asked to join me and Kagome." Inuyasha though aloud. "Kagome was all for it. I don't mind, I like Sango. I just kind of thought she prefered the more exciting life. But, hey, if she wants in, I say welcome." He shrugged.

"Oh, so Sango wants to come with you?" Miroku said nonchalantly.

"Huh?" Inuyasha blinked in confusion. True, he had completely grasped language recently, but there were still some things he didn't get completely. Like nonchalant statements and the true interest that generally lay beyond them. "Yeah, why?"

"Oh, nothing." Miroku grinned. "Off you go, bloodhound. Go make daddy rich."

"Daddy?" Inuyasha repeated dully.


	10. Log 9

There will be a lemon and real romance later, Inuyasha just had to grow out of puppyhood first. It was all innocent before and now but it will get hotter and sexier soon, promise ;)

**Log 9**

"..then he decided to just up and follow me." Inuyasha told her as they climbed the stairs to his apartment.

Her hand was clasped securely in his as she looked around. He had already reassured her that no one messed with him and he wouldn't ever leave her alone there, but Kagome was raised a good girl from a shrine. She hated to admit it but she was a bit niave and the bad part of town was a place she didn't, ever, want to visit.

The apartment was the kind of place where people avoided looking each other in the eyes as they walked around, where you could hear the TV blaring through the walls along with the sounds of domestic disturbance. And whenever the telltale blue and red lights flashed everyone hid and no one 'saw nuthin'.

He said it was the best he had been able to afford at the time and he hadn't really wanted to leave.

"So, Myoga was his name, right?" she asked wanting to talk just so she wouldn't have to hear the sounds of sex and some loudmouth girl saying "If ya ain't got one ya ain't gettin' none."

"Yeah." Inuyasha nodded. "He's a bit of a coward, he refuses to leave the apartment most of the time, but he's smart. I learned a lot from him."

"I'm sure he's great." Kagome smiled.

"You don't like this place, do you?" he asked, his ears flattening a bit in shame. He had never _not_ felt pride in his place, it was the first thing he had ever earned. But if Kagome didn't like it...

"I think's it's great." she lied, and he knew she lied. And she knew he knew she lied by the look he gave her. "I know I'll love it." She promised instead. "I'm just...not used to the neighborhood."

Inuyasha looked around as if just noticing it wasn't the nicest place in the world. "Well, we won't be here long. Just long enough to kill Kikyo and them, then I'll let the place go and buy that boat. You sure you don't mind Sango coming?"

"Of course not." Kagome said as they finally landed on the third floor. Sango was a part of his life now, a partner he trusted with his life more often than not. Kagome was thankful for her presense and was determined to be the tomboy's friend if it killed her. "As long as you don't mind Miroku joining as well."

"Miroku?" he looked at her. "Why would he be coming?"

"He and Sango are together, aren't they?" she asked him.

"No." he shook his head. "I would have smelled that on them."

"Huh?" Kagome blinked. "I was so sure. Didn't you see the way he looked at her?"

"Like how?" he asked stopping and looking at her, completely serious. It was the same look he had when someone was explaining something he didn't understand.

"He looks at her like a man drunk on love." Kagome smiled. "Like he would do anything and everything for her. When she's not looking at him, he has that little half smile on his face."

"That's only 'cause he's checking out her ass." Inuyasha scoffed. "He does that to all girls. Speaking of which, be on your guard around him at all times. He can get a bit...grabby."

"He wasn't looking at her butt." Kagome ignored the second comment. "He was just looking at _her. _The way a man looks at a woman."

Inuyasha thought it over for a moment then shook his head. "Nah, I don't think so."

"It used to be you'd trust my word without thinking." Kagome said a smile on her face to show that the change didn't bother her at all.

"Used to be I couldn't tie my own shoes either." Inuyasha smirked. "Come on."

"So, Myoga?" Kagome went back to their earlier conversation. "Do you think he'll want to go on the boat with us?"

The Boat. It was starting to sound like a dream. Just a fantasy that you alluded every now and then. It felt as out of her reach now as creating Inuyasha had seemed when Naraku had almost dipped him in bleach.

Then again, she did manage to get Inuyasha so maybe the pipe dream wasn't so far off.

"I didn't think about it." Inuyasha shrugged. "He'll probably want to. And I do owe him a lot. Would you mind if he came?"

Kagome shook her head and smiled. "You know, if any more people get added to this guest list we'll be buying an ocean liner."

"I was thinking a yatch." Inuyasha said, stopping before a door.

"Those are expensive." Kagome bit her lip in worry. "Will we have enough money for that?"

"Well, Kikyo will bring in quite a bit." he said thinking back to the information on the chip he had destroyed. "Naraku wasn't as much but nothing to sneeze at. Kagura was on the list too, I think. But her bounty wasn't all that high. A few others; Kanna, Yura, Tsubaki. I don't remember all the names."

"And I do still have all the money you sent me." Kagome smiled. "Plus my pay from MedLab."

"Perfect." Inuyasha nodded. "We'll have all we need and we can always take up odd jobs if we need to. Thanks to this gig I got ID papers and everything."

Kagome laughed as he unlocked the door and walked in.

"Hey, old man!" he called out. "I brought Kagome!"

"Really?" Kagome heard come from behind one of the three doors. Since one was open revealing a bathroom, she decided it wasn't that one.

The apartment wasn't well furnished nor very well designed. But it was clean, and it was homey.

"I love it." Kagome squeezed Inuyasha's hand and he smiled at her as he shut and locked the door again.

A moment later, one of the two remaining doors opened and an old man with a rather awesome mustache came out.

"Well, hello." he smiled. "Nice to finally meet you."

"Kagome, this is Myoga." Inuyasha introduced.

He walked toward her, more like shuffled with his back bent from age, but his eyes twinkled with youth.

"How do you do, my dear." he took her hand in both of his and just held it. "It's an honor to meet you. The greatest mind in the world, if I do say so myself."

Kagome blushed at the compliment. She knew she wasn't ugly, but never really thought of herself as 'beautiful' so compliments on her appearence never really did much. However, when someone praised her mind she just got happy all over. "Thank you. I heard you've been raising Inuyasha this past year."

"I saw a young man needing to learn, I did." Myoga released her hand. "And I took it upon myself to teach him."

"Thank you for that." Kagome beamed at him.

He waved away her thanks. "It was an honor to have played a part in such an extraordinary creature. "

"I'm not a creature." Inuyasha said without any real heat. "Come on, let's get some food. I'm starved."

XXXXXXXXX

"So she hasn't returned to MedLab?" Kikyo asked, twirling her pen between her fingers.

Kanna nodded once, her face impassive. The girl couldn't fight, she couldn't do any manual labor at all, but she could gather information. So that's what Kikyo had her doing. Waste not, want not after all.

"She has Inuyasha with her now." Kanna said, her voice whispy and almost non exsistant.

"Hmm..." Kikyo let her head rest on her hand as she sat at her desk. "The expirament is still alive then?"

Kanna nodded once.

"Well, that's interesting." Kikyo thought for a moment. "What's Naraku doing?"

"He's in his lab, trying to replicate Kagome's work."

"And how's _that_ going?" Kikyo asked, pretty sure of the answer.

"All attempts so far have ended in failure." Kanna said.

Kikyo laughed. "Is it pride that has him doing this? I can't help but wonder. Though, I have to ask. How is it he spent three years helping her, and he can't even get a fraction of what Kagome did done."

"Kagome wrote most of the DNA sequencing codes herself." Kanna said. "The process was time consuming and she stayed awake many nights to get it done. Naraku became bored and left her to do it on her own. Therefore, he missed the key part of the structure of Inuyasha."

"He's got to be the dumbest smart person ever." Kikyo sighed. "However, he's still of use to me. For now. Go tell him...uh...keep up the good work, something about important, yada yada yada." she waved Kanna away and picked up her photo of the expirament she had still yet to meet.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ramen, huh?" Kagome laughed as she ate the instant noodles Inuyasha had presented to her like a dish at a five star resturaunt.

"My favorite." he said looking at the three empty cups of the stuff. He didn't have an ounce of body fat on him despite how much he ate. No, his metabolism just burned up food so fast he had to eat at least four times the regular person.

"I must admit, I have developed a fondness for the stuff." Myoga laughed as he stretched. "Well, if you don't mind. I'll be going to bed. Good night, children."

"Night, old man." Inuyasha said carelessly.

"Sleep well." Kagome smiled as he walked back into his room.

"You finished?" Inuyasha asked a few minutes later.

Kagome nodded she had.

"Alright, bed time." he stood up. "We get to the real work tomorrow."

Kagome stood up as well and followed him without thinking into his room.

It was just as tidy as the living room and kitchen which surprised her a bit. She was sure Inuyasha would be a bit of a slob. Then she remembered he had grown up around complete sterilization, picking up his clothes was no real big thing to him.

She sat on the bed and fell back against it. "I'm exhausted. This has been a long day."

Inuyasha said nothing as he removed his shoes and shirt, leaving on only his pants.

A moment later Kagome opened her eyes in surprise. She sat up and looked down as Inuyasha removed her shoes and set them aside. "I can undress myself, you know." she whispered.

"I know." he stoop up and picked her up in his arms then set her down on the bed. She smiled as he crawled in after her and snuggled up to her, resting his head on her stomach just like he used to do. "I missed this." he said as he took in a deep breath of her scent.

Kagome smiled and absentmindedly began rubbing his ears. His legs couldn't stretch out but he didn't really care. He wanted this, at least one more night of being able to sleep like he did when he was a pup.

"I love you." he said, nuzzling her.

"I love you, too." she said, already slipping away into dreamland.

"I love you." Inuyasha said again, not meaning it the same way he did before but Kagome was already asleep.


	11. Log 10

**Log 10**

"So, you'll tell me everything you know?" Sango asked Kagome, a notebook and pen in her hands.

"Of course." Kagome smiled at her as she pulled a brush through her hair.

They were in what Inuyasha and Sango called Home Base which Kagome thought looked a bit like a weapon storage. Besides a scary amount of guns and amunition, there was a single, scarred table and two chairs. One Kagome had filled, the other Sango had thrown herself down on once she saw the young scientist.

Inuyasha had left Kagome there about five minutes ago with instructions to 'wait here'.  
>It was the first time Sango had gotten a moment alone with her and she was eager to know everything the girl would tell her.<p>

"Although, it probably won't do you much good." Kagome said thoughtfully. "Inuyasha said he got his information from the government and I gave them all the information I had so you probably know more than I do. Like I've said, Kikyo tricked me into doing what I did."

"I'm not talking about that." Sango waved her speech aside carelessly. "I'm talking about Inuyasha."

"Hm?" Kagome set her brush down as she began braiding her hair. "What about him?"

"How in the hell did you create an entire species all by yourself?" Sango gushed in amazement.

Kagome giggled. "I didn't create a new species."

"Um, HELLO!" Sango reached over and knocked gently on Kagome's forhead. "Is anyone home? In case you haven't noticed, Inuyasha is one of a kind!"

"That doesn't make him a species." Kagome explained. "He's, at best, a sub species of humanity."

"Huh?" Sango blinked in confusion.

"You know what a mule is, right?" Kagome asked patiently.

"A donkey?"

Kagome shook her head. "A mule is a cross breed between a horse and a donkey. It itself is not a real species beause it can't reproduce within it's own kind."

"Of course Inuyasha can't reproduce within his own kind." Sango sighed. "He's the only one in it!"

Kagome paused to think, trying to find words she would understand. "Well, yes, technically. But, what I mean is that gender doesn't breed in his sub species."

"Huh?" Sango blinked again.

"In a natural enviroment," Kagome said finishing her braid and throwing it over her shoulder, "the only one's born with his mutations, for they are mutations, are male. I created a set of female gametes but they don't appear naturally and Naraku destroyed them all."

"So he can't have kids?" Sango asked, wincing in sympathy.

"I didn't say that." Kagome shook her head. "He'll have to breed with humans if he wants kids. But his mutations are completely y-chromosonal. Women don't have a y-chromosome meaning all his children will split between what he is and what the mother is. Basically, if he has any daughters, they'll be as human as you or I and will never produce any of his sub species. However, if he has a son, it will be as he is and can, in turn, breed more of what he is."

"So, he needs humans to perpetuate his species?" Sango asked.

"Sub species, but yes." Kagome nodded, happy she understood.

"So, when will he be...old enough for that?" she asked trying to wrap her mind around such an alien concept.

"He's already reached full maturity." Kagome sighed in bliss. "And he's so...perfect."

"O-o-oh." Sango said drawing it out knowingly. "I see how it is, Dr. Frankenstein. Getting kinda interested in the monster, are we?"

"Huh?" Kagome blinked as her back straightened in surprise. "Wh-what? No! I didn't, wait, Frankenstein?"

"Isn't that what you are?" Sango asked as she smirked knowingly at the blush on Kagome's face. "You created a monster, albeit a very, very sexy monster with good moral values."

"No, I mean, I know what Frankenstein is," Kagome said, "it's just, that's what Kikyo named the project that created him. The Frankenstein Project. I just, kinda, stopped liking the word."

"Oh, sorry." Sango grimaced.

"Besides, I've read Frankenstein." Kagome said saddly. "It doesn't end well for the monster. I want to avoid that ending at all costs."

"What ending?" Inuyasha asked, walking into the room.

"There one where you kill yourself." Kagome said saddly.

"Who said I was killing myself?" he asked, confused.

"Sango did."

"Sango!"

"Hey!" the woman bristled. "Don't blame me cause you just got all mopey! I was referring to you not him."

"Sorry." Kagome pouted. "Been a bit of an emotional week, year...years..."

"Yeah, yeah. Life sucks then you die." Sango waves away Kagome's self-pity. "But, I still have more questions!"

Kagome laughed gently. "Why are you so interested?"

"Hello?" Sango knocked on her head again. "Have you seen this guy lately? Who wouldn't want to know more?"

"Hey, you can get to know me later." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I got a lead on someone on the hit list."

"How many poeple are on the...hit list?" Kagome winced at the words.

"Enough." he said vaguely. "This guy is pretty low on the totum pole. In fact, his bounty is just a few yen from being not worth it."

"Who is he?" Sango asked as Kagome prayed she didn't know him.

"His name is Rasetsu." he said. "Some old codger Kikyo has been seen having dealings with. He was pretty much a petty theif growing up but got real interested in murder sometime after puberty." He thought back to the information on the chip. "Not sure what she gets from him or he from her but he's a start."

"By 'old' how old do you mean?" Kagome asked not wanting to hurt a senior citizen. Then reminded herself of the 'murderer' part of the story and tried to shove her pity in a dark corner of her mind.

"Nineties or something like that." Inuyasha shrugged. "Old as shit, basically. He's apparently gotten real sickly with age but Kikyo pays for his care so he must be worth something to her."

"So, what's the plan?" Sango asked, eager to get back to work. "The sooner we take this whole opperation apart the sooner I can be enjoying the ocean from our new yatch."  
>Kagome laughed as Inuyasha rolled his eyes.<p>

"Plan is simple." Inuyasha said. "Kikyo pays for his care but he doesn't really have much in the way of security. He hasn't actually killed anyone in about two decades so he's not a high priority to the cops either. I've got his address and the warning from my source that the old man is fond of fire arms. So, we capture him, question him, then kill him. Monatarily, he's not worth it but if he has info, I say we go after him."

"I call dibs on questioning!" Sango called out.

"Questioning?" Kagome repeated hoping there wouldn't be any kind of pain involved. Killing murderers was one thing, torture was a completely different thing.

"Don't worry, I wont kill him." Sango said mistaking her hesitation. "Not immediately anyway."

"Be gentle, he is ninety something." Inuyasha said. "We don't need him dying of a heart attack or stroke before we get anything useful from him."

"Yeah, yeah." Sango sighed unhappily. "No thumbscrews or rusty nails. You always have to ruin my fun."

"There's something wrong with you." Kagome said, her brow furrowed. "Mentally wrong with you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Rasetsu?" Kikyo repeated, watching Kanna with a bored expression on her face. "Why that old idiot?

He's going senile and it's not like he's not going to keel over soon anyway. Why not just let nature take it's course, why him?"

"They think he has information." Kanna whispered softly. "And his mind isn't as gone as you think."

"Oh?" Kikyo blinked in surprise. "So he might actually be a hinderence to me?"

Kanna shook her head gently. "I've informed him of their coming. He says, 'I'll take care of it. See you on the other side'."

Kikyo laughed out loud. "A fighter until the end, huh? I always did admire that about the old bastard. Alright, I'll let him have his fun. He was never really that important anyway so Kagome can set her dog on him if she wants. What about Naraku? What's he up to?"

"He destroyed his lab in a rage this morning." the albino girl said emotionlessly.

"Did another expirament of his fail?" Kikyo sighed at the man's childlike antics. Really, he was becoming a bore.

"No." Kanna shook her head. "He fell asleep working and woke up screaming about how much he hated women. Then he destroyed all of his equipement."

"So I guess he'll be wanting new equipment, right?" Kikyo rolled her eyes.

"He already purchased it in your name." Kanna said.

Kiyko looked offended. "Before he even asked?"

"He's gone back to the Incarnation Project." Kanna said.

"That old thing, huh?" Kikyo bit her lip in thought. The Incarnation Project was Naraku's failure before Kagome's Frankenstein Project. Kagura and Kanna being the only things produced and both of them being flawed. "Well, let him for now. Who knows, he might actually do something useful. If at first you don't succeed, right?" She laughed as if she had told a good joke.

"Is that all you need?" Kanna asked, not showing the slightest bit of humor.

"Yeah, that will be all." Kikyo waved her away. "Try and keep a real close eye on Kagome for me, will you? I want her here as soon as possible so I can finally get rid of that idiot. If you see her in a moment of weakness you have my permission to take her at all costs."


	12. Log 11

**Log 11**

"Hey, Myoga." Inuyasha said, walking into his kitchen. The old man was already up, eating a bowl of corn flakes and watching the morning news. Kagome was still asleep which suited Inuyasha just fine for the moment.

"Good morning." the elderly man said, turning his head to watch him. "I think there's enough cereal left for one."

"Than Kagome can have it." Inuyasha said throwing himself onto the couch which groaned at being hit with his superior body mass. "I want to ask you something."

"Ask away." Myoga put his bowl on the coffee table.

"I want you to tell me about sex." he said without preamble.

"Well." Myoga got a knowing look in his eye. "You want to know about the birds and the bees, huh?"

"What do birds and bees have to do with sex?" Inuyasha asked confused.

"It's a euphanism." the old man shrugged.

"It's a stupid one." Inuyasha said. "It makes no sense."

"That's just what they say. So, what do you want to know?" Myoga sat back comfortably as he hit mute on the remote.

"Well, I heard stories when I was running with those gangs." Inuyasha said. "But most of it was over-exaggerated and they kept saying shit like 'if you know what I mean', which I didn't."

"So why do you want to know?" Myoga asked pretty sure he knew the answer.

"Don't play with me, old man." Inuyasha said dully.

"So, you're wanting to learn some biology with the lady scientist, huh?" the man laughed.

"See, it's things like that I don't understand." Inuyasha said. "What the hell does that even mean."

Myoga smiled a bit. Truly, he had no idea why he was so attached to this miracle of modern science. He had met him and just instantly felt a sort of bone deep loyalty to him. Also mixed with a strange protectiveness. Myoga was a coward, he knew that, but he really enjoyed helping the boy turning man before him. Much more man than he had been a year ago, that was for sure.

"Well, Inuyasha, when a man and woman come together, it works a bit like this..."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, Miroku." Sango said, turning as she saw him approach. "What you doing here?"

'Here' was a rooftop within binocular range of the house of one Resetsu, aged 95. He lived with a nurse at all times to care for his over aged ass and the nurse was paid for by Kikyo.

However, Kikyo rarely ever visited him. Just paid for his continued exsistance.

"I thought I would come check on you." Miroku said lifting a bag of fast food. "Have you been here all night."

"Ooh, give." Sango held out her hand for the burger Miroku threw at her. She took a moment to peel off the paper before taking a big bite and moaning in pleasure. "Oh, that's good. Yeah, I've been here all night. Thought I'd see what me and Inuyasha are walking into today."

"And?" Miroku came along side her and looked over to the house that she was watching. "Anything interesting?"

"Not a damn thing." Sango sighed. "No one's come or gone all night."

Miroku nodded. "Are you going in today?"

"Me and Inuyasha are." Sango said. "I don't know what he's going to do with the good doctor though."

"I think he intends to leave her with me." Miroku said, shrugging.

"Do you mind?" Sango asked immediately. She hadn't been partnered with Inuyasha long but, much like cops, the bond had been formed quickly because of all of the dangerous situations they got into. So, she was fairly well tuned to her partners needs.

"Of course I don't mind." Miroku said. "I want to get to know her. Like I said, it's never bad to have such a smart person for a friend. I may be able to teach her a few things about strategy and she could end being of help to us."

Sango nodded. "But I don't think she'll stay long. When Inuyasha gets done he wants to leave with her on that boat trip around the world."

"I heard about that." Miroku said, not looking at her but keeping his eyes on the house. "I heard you might want to joing them."

"I was thinking about it." Sango smiled. "I'm not getting any younger and I've spent the majority of my life fighting. I want to have some memories that aren't about danger and death, you know?"

"I do indeed." Miroku said.

"I'm not worried about interrupting some romantic boat trip either." she said finishing her burger and looking back through her binoculars. "He's not leaving Myoga here alone, not after everything he's done for us. It'll be fun."

"Oh?" Miroku said looking at her now that she was looking away from him and focusing on the house. "You know, I was thinking about that."

"Oh, yeah?" Sango said.

"Yeah." he nodded. "That boat ride around the world sounds...nice."

"It does, doesn't it?" Sango smiled a bit. "Docking in ports around the world and exploring all those different places. Personally, I've always wanted to see India. And Inuyasha mentioned snorkaling in Australia."

Miroku nodded before he remembered she wasn't looking at him. "Yeah. It does sound nice. I was thinking, you will probably need passports and foreign currency wont you?"

"Hmmm..." Sango lowered the binoculars thoughtfully. "I didn't think of that. Dock papers, ID's, travel papers. Inuyasha probably didn't think of those either."

"Well, you know." Miroku said. "I was considering retiring. Like you, I've been at this a long time and I want to stop before I burn out."

Sango looked over at him. "Are you asking to come along?" she didn't look unhappy about it but neither did she appear ecstatic.

"Well," he shrugged in, what he hoped, was a careless way, "it would be something. I could provide all the paperwork and foreign money and I don't mind attending to other such boring necessities."

"Are you going to ask or not?" Sango smiled a bit.

"It's not that I couldn't work for it." he kept hedging around the question. "I speak a bunch of languages and can learn more. And I-"

"Miroku, just ask." Sango said, really smiling now.

"Would you guys mind another tag along?" he smiled at her charmingly.

"Well, it's not like you couldn't work for it." Sango repeated. "Paperwork, permits, passports...why do all those start with a 'p'?"

"And I can help Inuyasha boat shop." he said, ignoring her question. "I doubt he knows anything about shopping for such things or what a reasonable price, even for a yatch, would be."

"Alright, alright." Sango laughed. "You've convinced me. Inuyasha said I could bring along a friend or two. But you should still talk to him about it."

"I will, I will." he nodded, pleased and trying not to appear too much so.

"You will what?"

They both turned to see Inuyasha walking towards them, leading Kagome by the hand across the roof. She didn't seem to mind.

"Hey." Sango waved at them. "Miroku wants to come with us on the boat."

Inuyasha blinked, a bit surprised then looked back as Kagome who gave him an I-told-you-so look.

"Well, I dont mind." he turned back to them.

"Great." Miroku smiled. "I'll get started on the paperwork."

"Thanks." Kagome smiled as she and Inuyasha drew level with the two of them. "What are we doing here?"

"Is that's Rasetsu's house?" Inuyasha asked.

"Take a look." Sango passed him the binoculars.

He didn't let go of Kagome's hand as he peered through them. Sango didn't even think they noticed they were still clinging to each other.

"He hasn't left and his nurse is still there." she filled him in. "I don't think she's got anything to do with this so I want to avoid hurting her if we can."

Inuyasha nodded in agreement.

"Morning, Doctor." Sango said. "Sleep well?"

"I did." Kagome nodded.

She felt a lot out of her element here. She was used to beakers and miscroscopes, not guns and binoculars. But she had Inuyasha at her side and he assured her that she was perfectly safe.

She didn't even have a place for her anymore. Burnt out, just thinking about a lab wasn't enjoyable at all. She had accepted it, mentally at least, but wanted to be useful in some way.

"Alright." Inuyasha handed the binoculars back to Sango. "Standing her watching isn't going to change anything. Miroku, can you watch Kagome for me?"

"Of course." Miroku nodded.

"Be careful, okay." Kagome said, worried. He was her creation and the scientist in her hated the thought of sending something she had worked so hard to create into any danger at all. But there was a larger part of her that dispaired about him as a person going into anything that might be harmful.

"I will." he pulled her close and put his nose into her neck like always as Sango watched in surprise and Miroku's eyebrows raised a bit. He licked her neck like always and Miroku smirked lecherously. "Stay with Miroku."

He backed off and Kagome nodded, smiling.

"Sango, ready?" Inuyasha turned to her and she nodded without comment.

Kagome waved as the two of them left leaving Kagome and Miroku alone.

"So-o-o." he said looking at her when he was sure Inuyasha was out of earshot. "What was that about, huh?"

"What?" Kagome asked, confused.

"That little lick thing he just did." Miroku clearified.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Get that look off your face Miroku. He's part canine, remember? That's how he shows affection. He's done it to me since he was a puppy."

"Uh-huh." Miroku said, obviously not believing her.

"Stop it!" Kagome said, annoyed.

"I didn't say anything." he shrugged. "But if I were to, I would point out that no man looks at a woman like that and licks her with completely innocent thoughts."

"He's still a puppy." Kagome said feeling strangely like she had had this conversation before.

Miroku scoffed. "Right. A puppy, sure. I think you're a little blind where he's concerned."

"I am not!" Kagome growled as she crossed her arms, not liking the feeling his words made in her heart.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll drop it. For now." he shrugged.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Inuyasha and Sango were quiet as they approached the backdoor of the house. In his hands was a gun and in hers were a pair of lock picks that she crouched and immediately started using them.

Then leaned back.

"It's unlocked." she whispered almost soundlessly.

Inuyasha didn't like that one bit but followed faithfully as Sango pushed the door open and walked inside, her own gun out.

Quietly, they snuck through the kitchen that the backdoor led to. The house was way too quiet and Inuyasha smelled blood.

And death.

Before he could warn Sango, she had aleady spotted a light coming from the den and was making her way there.

Inuyasha was a step behind her guarding her back.

They walked into the living room.

And froze when they heard a barely audible click from under their feet.

"Pressure sensors." an old and shaking voice said.

The living room was like any other, a couch, a TV, a recliner.

But the recliner was in the middle of the room, facing the hall that led to the front door. And, slumped on the couch, was the body of the nurse he had been assigned. The gun shot in her chest had stopped bleeding a while ago, but her heart had also stopped beating a while ago.

The recliner spun around and they looked into the face of Rasetsu. His face was heavily lined and his whispy white hair had receaded so much that he was only left with a ring of it around his head. In one shakey hand was a gun, in the other was a remote with only two buttons, one red one green.

"The entire floor is rigged with explosives." he said, grinning and showing the few teeth he had left. "You move an inch and they'll go off."

Inuyasha growled at his stupidity for walking into this as Sango aimed at him.

"We go, you go with us." she told him.

"Ha!" He said then coughed from the effort. "Please, girl. I'm over 90 years old. My life is over anyway. At least this way I get to die in a place and manner of my chosing."

"Bastard." Inuyasha snarled at him. He was such an idiot! How could he have just walked right into this!

Rasetsu laughed dryly as he looked at him. "You must be the expirament the girl told me about. She said you couldn't talk."

"What girl?" Sango asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Rasetsu smirked.

Inuyasha sniffed at the air but couldn't smell any other people except the dead nurse and Rasetsu himself. There were no other human scents, not even lingering ones.

"Kanna." he surmized and Rasetsu glared at him.

"Kanna?" Sango asked.

"A girl from the lab." Inuyasha said. "She used to drive me crazy. She has a scent but it's so slight that I have to stand right next to her to get a whiff of it. It's like she's not even there. She's still working for Kikyo, huh?"

Rasetsu cackled. "I was told you weren't too bright. Turn's out I was wrong. I thought you were the smart one, Kagome."

Sango didn't blink when he adressed her wrong. "Yeah, well. Surprise. Now tell us everything you know."

"I don't know anything." the old man sat back, comfortable. "You're wasting your time on me."

"Kikyo has been paying for you to live like this for years." Inuyasha said. "She wouldn't take care of you if you didn't have some importance to her."

"What can I say? I got a way with women." he laughed. "Besides, who are you to make demands of me? As far as I can see, you two are at my mercy." He lifted the remote. "All I have to do is press this little red button here, Kagome, and you and your mutt are blown all to hell."

"How do you know we wont escape and leave you here to die all alone, huh?" Sango asked. "And what's to stop me from shooting you before you press that button?"

"You want to know what I know." Rasetsu laughed. "Why would you shoot something of value to you."

"But, by your own admission, you have no value." Inuyasha said. "So why shouldn't we shoot you?"

"Go ahead." Rasetsu shrugged carelessly. "Like I said, I'm old as hell. I'm not going to last much longer. If you want to, go ahead and kill me. I don't plan on living through this anyway." he laughed again which started another coughing fit.

"You're lieing." Inuyasha said. "You don't want to die and you do know something."

"Of course I don't _want_ to die." the old man rolled his eyes. "I don't have a death wish. But I aint so stupid I think I can avoid it forever. I would rather chose when and where I die myself. And, maybe I know something and maybe I don't. You will never find out."

"Well, if you're so sure we'll die here, what's the harm of telling us?" Sango pointed out logically.

"I ain't stupid, sweetheart." he said. "I'm no genius like you but I ain't stupid. In fact, you know what. I'm such a nice man, I'll give you two a way out. Shoot me. Right here." he crossed an 'x' right over his heart. "I've got a device there that controls the bombs. Shoot it and they'll all deactivate. Shoot it, and me, and you can both leave here alive."


	13. Log 12

**Log 12**

Naraku groaned a bit at the pinch as her wrapped the tourniquet firmly around his forearm.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

He had created two, he knew he had. Kagura and Kanna were proofs of his genius. He had created two completely seperate living beings, females both, from his own DNA. In any scientific community, he was a genius. He was infallible.

Yes, they were flawed. But he could try again. He could create more, better ones. Better than that little puppy Kagome had at her heels.

So why wasn't it working!

He was doing everything right. Exactly as he had done twice before.

He clenched and unclenched his fist, bringing the purple-blue veins in the crook of his elbow to the surface of his skin.

He picked up the needle hooked up to the collection bag, he stabbed it into his arm. He didn't notice, and wouldn't have cared if he had, the blood that trickled down his arm.

Or that the bag wasn't filling because he had missed his vein.

He would show all those bitches, Kagome and Kikyo and any others, how great he could be. He would make a new incarnation, a better one. Better than that mutt and he himself would be better than Kagome.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You know, you're going to have to do something eventually." Rasetsu said, smirking a bit. "You can't stand there forever."

It had been almost an hour now of complete stalemate.

Inuyasha and Sango couldn't move because of the bomb that was pressure sensative at their feet and, for the same reason, Rasetsu was stuck in his recliner.

He had their word that, if they shoot him in the heart, the bomb would be deactivated and they would survive. If his word could be believed, they had a way out.

But, he was obviously putting them in a position where they had to kill him. Meaning he knew something and wanted them to take him out so he had no way to tell them.

It was a no win situation but Inuyasha knew which one he would pick if he had to. Luckily, Rasetsu was in no hurry and the bomb wasn't on any kind of timer. So Sango and Inuyasha were free to just stand there and try and think of a way out.

But nothing was coming to either of them. It was kill the man who more than likely had information for them, or not kill him and die.

The choice was obvious but Inuyasha would dearly love to both live and get what he wanted.

"You got somewhere to be, old timer?" he asked.

"I got a date with death but don't worry about it." Rasetsu grinned a bit. "Death is very patient. Take your time trying to think of a way out of this."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It's been too long." Kagome said, her eye on the house Sango and Inuyasha had disappeared into an hour ago. "Shouldn't we have heard something by now?"

"They're probably questioning him." Miroku said without looking up from the laptop he was busy typing away on. "Do you think Inuyasha wants a new yacht or will a used one work?"

Kagome shrugged. "I don't think he'd mind a used one but he'll probably see a shiney new one and want that instead."

"You have a point." Miroku said as he started looking at the used yachts listed. They were expensive but if Inuyasha managed to get Kikyo they could more than afford it. "I'll just not tell him they're used. Oh, here's one for less than ten million yen."

"And how many rooms are there?" Kagome asked.

"Oh." he frowned. "Just one. Never mind then."

"Anyway," Kagome shook her head, "about those two?"

"They'll be fine." Miroku waved her off. "Two of them against a ninty year old man and his nurse? I don't think we'll have any issues."

"Then why is it taking so long to question him?" she asked.

"Some people are stubborn." Miroku still didn't look up at her. "Torture wont lossen everyone's tongues you know. I once knew this one guy, lasted three months, didn't say a word." he frowned. "Of course, afterwords he had severe mental issues. He never left the hospital. I think he's still there, in fact."

"Miroku." Kagome cut him off before he could go on.

"I'm not worried." he smiled reasurringly at her. "So neither should you be." he turned back to his laptop. "Here's one. Six rooms, nice. Fully equiped kitchen and gods is that the price! I don't think we have that much, huh, Kago-Kagome!" Miroku jumped up and looked around but the scientist was gone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The backdoor was open and Kagome felt no qualms about stepping right in.

The kitchen was clean and well tended and led to a hall that had a light at the end of it.

"Well, have you made your decision yet?" an old voice asked. "It's kill or be killed. Quite easy."

There was a pause, followed by, "Kagome, get out of here!"

"Inuyasha?" Kagome walked into an unusual scene. An old man sitting, her friends frozen mid-step and-

"Oh, my god, is she-!" before she stopped to think, she started to run towards the woman who was laying on the couch.

Then stopped at the quite beep.

"What was that?" she looked down at her feet.

"A bomb." Sango looked back at her. "Don't worry. We walked right into it too."

"Oh, _that's_ Kagome." Rasetsu said looking at her. "Whoops. My mistake. I didn't know what she looked like." he cackled dryly and coughed.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked Inuyasha who looked a lot less comfortable now that Kagome was here.

Sango explained while Rasetsu smirked at them. "So, that girl isn't Kagome? Ah, well. Offer still stands. Kill me or die in a massive ball of fire. Your choice."

Kagome blinked at the end of Sango's explination. "That sucks."

"Yeah." Inuyasha frowned. "Now all we have is his questionable word that shooting him disarms the bomb."

"Bomb, huh?" Kagome looked at her feet.

Then stepped further into the room eliciting a bunch more beeps as her foot came down.

"What are-" Inuyasha started as Sango flinched, ready for the blast.

But nothing happened.

"He was bluffing." Kagome said as she got closer to the old man. "Weren't you?"

He chuckled this time without coughing. "What gave it away?"

Sango took a step forward. The floor beeped again but no bomb exploded. "She's right. The floor is just beeping." She started jumping up and down, the floor beeped in time.

"Alright, now stop." Inuyasha said. "You're making me nervous." They approached the old man who didn't seem to care that the jig was up. "Alright, old timer. Let's see how long it takes for you to sing." He cracked his knuckles threateningly.

"Alright, alright." Rasetsu held up his hands in surrender. "You got me. I'm no fan of pain, I'll talk."

"That was easy." Sango said, holstering her gun.

"Unluckily for you, I don't know much." Rasetsu grinned. "But I do know a few names of people who _would_ know. Unfortunately for you, they'll be a lot harder to get to than one old man."

"Names, geezer." Inuyasha said without sympathy.

"Yura Musubime." he said. "She's great with knots. Sexy little thing. She'll open her legs for anybody or anything, human or not if you get my drift."

"Yeah, yeah. Next." Inuyasha said.

"Tsubaki Furui." he continued. "Another scientist on the pay roll but one much more obsessed with her looks than anything. She's more specialized in chemicals than you, Kagome."

"I created a person from nothing." Kagome said, a little more than proud. "'Scuse me for not cackling as I stir a coldron or beaker or whatever."

Inuyasha ignored that and said, "Anything else?"

"Just one more." Rasetsu said. "Urasue Nendo. From what I understand, she was before even Naraku's time. Another scientist who failed to create what Kikyo wanted. To punish her, Kikyo forced her way, way underground. I heard the old woman makes clay pots and drugs now."

"Thanks." Inuyasha smirked. "Come on, girls. Let's go." They turned to leave.

"Wait!" Rasestu called out. "Aren't you going to kill me?"

Inuyasha turned back, still smirking. "I don't have to. Kikyo will take care of that for me, wont she? And she wont be thrilled when she finds out that you told us anything."

"Bastard!" Rasetsu jumped up and aimed his gun.

But before he could get a shot off, Inuyasha was there knocking it from his grasp and slamming him back onto his recliner. "Nice try." he smirked. "You must really be scared of Kikyo, huh?"

Sango had already picked up the gun and was looking it over. "Not a bad gun. Kagome, this is light. It might be good for you."

Kagome looked a bit surprised at how non-chalant they acted.

"Let's go then." Inuyasha smirked at the terrified old man and left with the woman.

"Was it a good thing to let Kikyo kill him?" Kagome asked, feeling sorry for him.

"You're upset when I kill and upset when I don't." Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he shut the back door.

"It's just, he seemed really afraid." Kagome bit her lip uncertainly. "Is Kikyo really so horrid?"

"Did you forget that he was a serial killer?" Sango asked bluntly. "Don't be so quick to forgive the wicked."

"So, what do we do now?" Kagome asked as Inuyasha led them to the other side of the house.

"We track down those names." Inuyasha said.

"One thing though." Sango said as they made it to the street. "How did you know he was bluffing? Even super sniffer over there didn't catch a whiff of a lie. The guy was good."

Kagome smiled. "He thought you were me, right?"

"Yeah." Sango nodded. "Until you actually came."

Kagome looked a bit pleased with herself. "Kikyo needs me and I'm sure all her flunkies know it. I'm too precious to kill because I'm the only one who can create Inuyasha. She can't kill me. If he thought you were me then he wouldn't have killed you. The bomb had to have been a fake."

"I love smart people." Sango grinned as Miroku pulled up in a car.

"Hey, I thought you were watching her?" Inuyasha gripped as soon as he opened the door.

"She ran away from me. What did you want me to do?" Miroku asked as they climbed inside. "So, get anything good?"

"Three names." Inuyasha listed them. "I need them checked out and all the information you have on them ASAP."


	14. Log 13

**Log 13**

Kikyo shattered the glass in her hand at about the same time the heart inside of Rasetsu shattered.

Yura was demonstrating for her pleasure, a new knot technique that invovled weaving around the actual heart then crushing it at whim. You could live from the needles threading you leaving you completely at Yura, or rather Kikyo's, mercy while you writhed in pain.

And, at the moment, Kikyo had no mercy.

"That old bastard actually gave them something." she growled. Not that she blamed him, not really. When it came to talk or be tortured, most people would sing like canaries. But that he actually had something to give was annoying.

She didn't give one damn about Urasue, if Kagome's dog killed him, all the better. She hoped it ended painfully for that old witch. And who cares if they knew Yura's name. Yura was damn near untraceable.

But Tsubaki.

Kikyo had no delusions about Tsubaki.

She would sing like a canary just because someone was willing to listen because Tsubaki loved the sound of her own voice. IF you gave her a mirror while she talked she would go on for hours so she could watch her mouth move as words were formed from it.

She was a vain bitch and Kikyo kept her around mostly for her own vanity. She made a skin treatment made from the tissue of children and babes that kept them looking much younger than they were. But Tsubaki had no loyalty to her.

Kikyo had to silence her before she could talk.

But who to send?

She couldn't send Kaguya. Gods, the woman was even more vain than tsubaki. She would keep her alive just because the woman gave her some free skin treatment.

Hmm, Hitan and Manten had yet to prove their worth.

"Yura, go fetch me those two idiot brothers." Kikyo said. "Tell them it's time to prove their loyalty."

"Sure, Kiki, honey." Yura laughed, she was always so happy when one of her new knots did what it was supposed to do. "Be back soon, 'k?"

She left, humming with Rasetsu's blood on her hands.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Miroku seemed to have an endless supply of informants. It took next to no time at all to find Urasue Nendo.

As Rasetsu had said, she was into drugs and pots now. She sold both, one more steadily than the other, and was all too happy to tell them everything she knew.

Which turned out to be nothing they didn't know already.

Since she was of no value to them or Kikyo, they let her live and continue her drug making in, relative, peace.  
>Tsubaki, however, took a bit more time.<p>

Yura, Kagome recognized her as the woman who took her from the description of knots. "How many other people get creative tying you up and then call it 'art'?" she had asked leaving no questions as to whether or not she was right. She wasn't to be found. Miroku said he put out feelers but nothing came back.

And it took nearly a week to find Tsubaki.

"Guess what I got." Miroku said, walking into the 'break room' of their abondoned building HQ. It was a dirty, windowless room, that had a checkers game with five pieces missin and a few old books no one had touched and

Kagome was sure had been there since the condemed building had first ben built.

"Another yatch for us to look at?" Inuyasha guessed. He was facing Kagome on the checkers game. Her red pieces were missing more than his black but she was still winning despite the handicap.

"Not this time, no." Miroku, who somehow ended up in charge of yatch hunting, said. "Something even more better."

"That's not a correct sentence." Kagome said automatically as she jumped three of Inuyasha's pieces in a row, winning the game.

"How, the-" Inuyasha looked at the board in shock, wondering how he had missed that.

"Can you two focus?" Miroku rolled his eyes. "This is kind of serious."

"I'm listening." Inuyasha grumbled as they reset the checkers board.

"I've found Tsubaki." Miroku said.

"Really?" Kagome beamed as Inuyasha snapped, "Where? What do you know about her?"

Miroku sat down on an ancient sofa as he thought. "Well, she worked for a phamacuetical company for years but quit about five years ago. She's almost as good with chemicals as Kagome is with, well, everything else."

Kagome smiled wide at the compliment and Inuyasha didn't deny her her pride. He was a creation of hers and he was pretty damn good if he said so himself so let her be proud.

"She specializes in anti-aging creams." Miroku continued as he frowned in disgust. "She's found a way to make one, I don't know if it's a cream or an injection or what, but I would never take it. She makes it from the tissue of children and babies."

"What?" Inuyasha looked shocked as Kagome looked away in disgust. She knew as well as any in the scientific community that there were some things about science that just seemed wrong, lines that you shouldn't cross even theoretically.

But she also knew that there were scientists that weren't bound by any moral code and did what they wanted.

"Yeah, she's sick." Miroku said. "But her treatements are working. She's pushing 50 and looks 25. Here, I got a photo."

He pulled one out of his pocket and handed it to them.

The woman in the picture didn't look older than Kagome, she might even look younger. Her hair was shiny black, her skin was smooth and clear of any lines or belmishes and she herself was incredibly beautiful. But there was a darkness about the beauty.

Maybe it was because Kagome knew she used the lives of children to keep her youth but it was as if she were coated in blood.

"She's got a lab of her own, nothing like yours back at MedLab, Kagome, but it's impressive." Miroku continued as

Inuyasha commited Tsubaki's image to memory. "But it'll take at least an hour to get there by car."

"Alright." Inuyasha gave the photo back. "I'll get Sango and we'll go get her. Kagome, you stay here with Miroku."

"And do what?" Kagome frowned unhappily. She was back to being useless.

"You can help me with prep for the boat trip." Miroku smiled and Kagome felt like he was patting her head.

"I want to do something useful, Miroku!" Kagome complained, pouting a bit.

"I don't care what you two do." Inuyasha cut in. "Can you keep an eye on her properly this time?"

"No problem." Miroku shrugged carelessly. "We'll stay here 24/7 like good little children."

"Good." Inuyasha said, holding out his hand.

Miroku rolled his eyes and dropped the chip with all of Tsubaki's information, it was a new chip, into his hands. When he had reported what Tsubaki did, a bounty was set on her head. It was a pretty good one too. And with her bounty came her chip.

Inuyasha held it in his fist as he turned to Kagome. "I'll go get Sango and we'll leave immediately. Stay safe, alright?"

"I will." Kagome promised. "You be safe."

Inuyasha nodded and ran from the room.

"So." Miroku turned to her. "Want to help me look for yatchs?"

"Is that all you think about?" Kagome asked.

"Since it's pretty much going to be my retirement, and I'm retiring early enough to enjoy it, yeah." Miroku laughed.

Kagome sighed. "I'm just so tired of being told to stay safe and be a good girl."

"You would rather go out and do the shooting?" Miroku asked. "I thought you sucked at that."

"I do." Kagome said thinking, guiltily, about how she return to the gun range and practice. But shooting just wasn't her. "I need something to do that has a purpose! I want to help."

"You helped with the bomb thing." Miroku pointed out.

"One time isn't going to fix the problem, Miroku." Kagome stood up. "I'm tired of being so useless."

"You're not useless." Miroku corrected her. "You're purposeless, which is completely different. Don't you have a hobby or something to occupy your time?"

"I study." Kagome crossed her arms, not defiantly, more like she was shielding herself. "All I've ever done it seems is study."

Miroku resisted the urge to say something that Inuyasha would kill him for. "How about puzzles? Crosswords? Hell, read a book."

"That's not useful." Kagome protested. "I want to contribute somehow."

Miroku sighed. "Alright, alright. I heard you. Well, I've been working on getting my files and things in order to help my replacement do my job easier. Want to help with that?"

Kagome smiled thankfully. "Sure. It's not anything I'll get killed for knowing, right?" she chuckled.

"Only half of it." Miroku said seriously. "And you'll only get killed if you talk." He turned and walked away leaving

Kagome wondering if she had missed his sarcasm or if he had been serious.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I hate road trips." Sango complained as she drove down the highway towards the sight of Tsubaki's lab.

"So you've mentioned." Inuyasha said without looking up as he looked at Tsubaki's chip.

"Thinking of reading it again?" Sango asked.

"Huh?" Inuyasha was pulled from his thought. "No, just thinking." Without any effort, he squeezed and the tiny memory card shattered and he threw it out the open window.

"What were you thinking about?" Sango asked.

"Kagome." he said without hesitation.

Sango laughed. "Really? Surprise, surprise. That's all you ever think about. Why don't you just take her to bed and have done with it?"

"That's a euphanism for sex, isn't it?" Inuyasha said, obviously still half lost in thought.

"Damn." Sango smiled. "I forget sometimes that you're not as old as you look. Yeah, it was a euphanism for sex."

"She still thinks of me as a pup." Inuyasha said, a bit irritated by that fact. "She hasn't realized yet that I'm fully grown."

"In her defense, you don't always act fully grown." Sango said. "You hear something you don't understand that everyone else does and say 'explain' and you still don't understand a lot. Besides, I'm pretty sure she wiped your ass when you were in diapers."

"That's a nice mental image, thanks." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "And what makes you think I want to have sex with her?"

"You do, don't you?" Sango asked. "I know I'm not wrong about that."

"I'm pretty sure you're not either." Inuyasha said. "I talked with Myoga about it the other day."

"And what did Myoga say?" Sango asked.

"He gave me the basics then recommended a couple of porn sights." Inuyasha said without blushing.

Sango burst out laughing. "Oh, Kami, that's histerical! Did you check them out?"

"Yes." Inuyasha said without hesitation or hint of embaressment.

"I would ask whether or not you played with yourself but I don't think I can stomach the answer." Sango said, still laughing. "And, what did you learn?"

"A lot more than I thought I would." Inuyasha said thinking back to his first experience with the stuff. "Every since I watched it, I haven't been able to get her out of my head!"

"No more info, please." Sango said. "I don't want to know...But I do have to ask: Kagome picked out all of your genes herself, right?"

"Yeah." Inuyasha said.

"And what she couldn't find she created, correct?" Sango continued.

"Right." Inuyasha looked at his claws and his thought about his ears.

"So, you're pretty much her fantasy, am I wrong?"

"No, you're right." Inuyasha said, wondering where she was going with this.

"So, I have to wonder, did she uh...give you any...special attributes?" she smirked a bit.

"Uh, duh." Inuyasha said as he pointed to his ears.

"No, no, no." Sango snickered. "I don't mean like your eyes or ears or anything. I mean, did she...enhance any thing that a normal human man would have?"

"Yeah." Inuyasha nodded, oblivious to the point she was trying to make. "The strength, the speed? Are you feeling okay?"

Sango chuckled some more. "No. No. I mean...oh, hell. Inuyasha, how big is your penis?"

"Why?" Inuyasha looked confused.

"Because I just have to know." Sango said seriously without taking her eyes off the road. "Come on, tell me."

"I don't know." Inuyasha shrugged, never having measured it before. "About 5-6 inches, I guess."

Sango sighed. "Aw, let down. She couldn't give you a monster or something?"

Inuyasha had stopped paying attention. "That's when it's still flaccid though. I think it gets to maybe...9-10 inches."

It was a good thing there was no one, especially a cop, was driving down that particular stretch of highway because Sango balked and jerked the wheel and they flew across two lanes before she could correct herself.

"Did you say 10?" she asked, shocked.

Inuyasha shrugged, not understanding why she was being weird. "I'm not sure. It's a rough estimate. I never actually measured before."

"Oh, damn..." Sango looked at Inuyasha's pants but, as usual, they were baggy and she could see no sign of anything unusual there. "Wow. I think I'm jelouse of Kagome now."

"Why?" Inuyasha asked clueless.

"Nothing, honey. Nothing." Sango put her eyes firmly on the road. "Damn. I don't think you'll have a problem convincing her you're a man with something like that between your legs."

"She knows I'm male." Inuyasha said, not getting what she meant.

"Not what I meant." Sango said. "Alright, listen up doggy-boy. Because I'm going to explain more then the basics and, more than likely, what just watching porn would never teach you."


	15. Log 14

****Okay, after last Log 14, I got some complaints and, quite honestly, I wasn't completely comfortable with it. I've rewritten the second half. This'll fix the problem I was having about speeding up the story.

Also, this is the first chapter to feature my shiny new beta!

Ladies and gents, meet my new beta Angel of Love and Fluffy Stuff. Call her Angel. From now on, she'll be helping me to write. Hopefully, this will make me a better writer and should fix all those spelling errors you guys wont stop harping on about. Don't forget to thank her and if you leave something for her, I'll pass it on. Hope you enjoy my new and improved Log 14! :D!

**Log 14**

Tsubaki's lab was by the sea and looked more like a resort than a chemical lab for a high end criminal orginazation. There were beautiful gardens, a private section of beach, and a building pretty enough to make a king jealous.

"Are you sure this is it?" Inuyasha asked. It certainly didn't look like any kind of lab he knew. And he was rather familiar with labs.

"This is it." Sango said, confident. Miroku had never led them wrong. "She's a vain woman, so she wouldn't want just some plain old building."

"Right," Inuyasha crossed his arms, examining the place. "Same as last time?"

"She actually_ has _a security system," Sango said, observing the place through her binoculars.

They were on top of a tree, a few miles away, that Inuyasha had jumped them to the top of. He was on a branch a few lower than hers, ready to catch her if the branch gave out under her weight. But the branch gave no sound of cracking so he wasn't worried.

"So..." he prompted.

"So the way I see it, we have two options."

"I'm listening."

"We can stake the place out for a while, keeping careful watch. Learning the guards' patterns, camera locations, make sure there are no security traps."

"Pass," Inuyasha replied dully.

"Or," Sango continued, "we go in guns and claws blazing and do as much damage as we please."

"I like that option," Inuyasha grinned. "Let's do that one."

"That one is significantly more dangerous," Sango warned.

"You know you like that option better too," Inuyasha smirked.

"Touche." Sango laughed. "But with the brains of our operation still in Tokyo, someone has to be smart."

"By brains you mean..."

"Kagome, of course," Sango said bluntly, making Inuyasha laugh.

"Got that right," he replied. "Pass me the binoculars."

Sango handed them up without complaint and he looked through them to get a better view of the compound.

"Doesn't look like we can't handle it." Inuyasha noted, passing them back. "Got any bad feelings?"

"Nope." Sango said, looking back through them. "Just trying to be level-headed and sensible."

"And how is that working out for you?"

"It's damn boring. Let's go."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Remember when you asked me if I had any bad feelings?" Sango asked.

"Yeah," Inuyasha nodded.

"I just got them."

Inside the compound, right through the front door, was a dead man. Judging by his lab coat, he worked there. He had his throat slit and was lying in a pool of his own blood.

"Smell any more?" Sango asked as they started walking forward.

"Yeah." Inuyasha nodded. "But the smell of blood is covering the smell of death rather effectively."

"Meaning there's a lot of blood." Sango sighed. "That sucks. Why does our final mission have to be a blood bath?"

"Well," Inuyasha shrugged, "when you're a mercanary-"

"_Hello there."_

They jumped at the feminine voice that suddenly surrounded them.

"Who's there?" Sango demanded.

"_I'm Tsubaki, the lady running this lab."_

"Oh, good." Inuyasha smirked. "You're still alive. We have some questions for you."

_"Do you work for Kikyo?" _she asked.

"Hell no!" Inuyasha scoffed before Sango could tell him that they might get more answers undercover.

But Tsubaki said,_"Great! I'll tell you everything you want to know. Come on back. My lab is at the end of the hall, you can't miss it. Sorry about the blood stains. They killed my janitors and I haven't had a chance to get new ones yet."_

"Weird." Inuyasha whispered as he and Sango proceeded cautiously.

"Sounds like a rich woman complaining about her staff," Sango said as they passed another body. This was a guard with his gun drawn. Inuyasha took a quick sniff but smelled no gunpowder. He must have been killed before he could shoot it.

"Or a vain woman who doesn't care about people's lives," he corrected.

They kept walking and passed a little under a dozen more bodies. Some had their neck sliced open, others were bleeding from their ears, and a few looked like they had had their skulls bashed in.

"You know, we kill people for a living," Sango said as they passed one guy who would deffinitely not be having an open casket funeral, "and still, this is kinda sickning."

"You're lucky." Inuyasha countered, wrinkling his nose. "You can't smell it."

"I can smell it." Sango defended. "It smells like blood and...death!"

"Dramatic." Inuyasha deadpanned.

"Why is it dramatic when I say I smell death but not when _you _say you smell death?" she asked.

"Because I actually smell death." Inuyasha smirked. "Not just blood or decomp either. Death has its own smell."

"What's it smell like?" Sango asked, curious.

"Smells like death." he said. "There's really nothing that matches it."

Finally approaching the door, Sango paused to make sure Inuyasha was ready, then swung it open.

"Took you long enough," a female called from inside. "Come in, come in. We have so much to discuss. I won't hurt you."

Inuyasha shrugged and they entered.

"Welcome, welcome," Tsubaki said from her position in front of a cleared lab table. "You must be that delightful Inuyasha I've heard so much of."

"And what if I am?" Inuyasha asked cautiously.

"Nothing, dear. Nothing at all," Tsubaki smiled.

She really was beautiful. But it was a dark beauty. Inuyasha was slightly repelled by it even as he could admire it.

"You want what I know, right?" she asked, smiling like a mother would watching her children play. "I don't mind telling you."

"Just like that?" Inuyasha asked, feeling a bit apprehensive.

"Well, nothing is that simple," Tsubaki admitted. "As it turns out, Kikyo wants something from me as well."

"Your beauty cream?" Sango asked with a sarcastic smile.

Tsubaki shook her head, her lovely black hair swaying mesmorizingly. "No. She wants me dead."

The way she said it, so matter of fact without a hint of fear in either her voice or her scent, made Inuyasha's apprehension grow.

"I have no problems dying." Tsubaki shrugged indifferently. "Time is a cruel master. No matter how long I fight it, it will eventually win over me. Dying young is something that I would prefer if I can't have eternal youth."

Sango didn't point out that 50 was hardly young anymore. Not if Tsubaki really was willing to talk to them.

"So?" Inuyasha said. "What do you want in exchange for your information?"

"Nothing," Tsubaki said. "I will tell the winner what ever they want to know, do whatever the winner wants. I think that that's fair, don't you?"

"Winner?" Sango asked, puzzled. "What winner?"

"As it so happens, Kikyo has already sent some boys to come and kill me." Tsubaki said cheerily, examining her nails. "Two, in fact. Just as you have two. Entertain me. I want the four of you to fight it out, one on one, and whoever wins is who I talk to."

"What?" Inuyasha looked astounded. "You're letting your life be decided by something like that?"

Tsubaki shrugged indifferently again. "I don't care who kills me. And, as it so happens, I know a formula for a hair restoration cream that one of those brothers would love to get their hands on. They're willing to fight. Are you? If you don't fight, I won't talk."

Sango and Inuyasha shared a look.

They were sure they could get Tsubaki to talk, but torture was hardly a good means of getting information. Their victim could lie just as easily under torture as they could tell the truth.

"Why not?" Inuyasha smirked, confidant he could fight anyone Kikyo or Tsubaki set against them.

Sango sighed. "Oh, hell. Bring them on. We'll thrash 'em."


	16. Log 15

Okay, after last Log 14, I got some complaints and, quite honestly, I wasn't completely comfortable with it. I've rewritten the second half. This'll fix the problem I was having about speeding up the story.

Also, this is the first chapter to feature my shiny new beta!

Ladies and gents, meet my new beta Angel of Love and Fluffy Stuff. Call her Angel. From now on, she'll be helping me to write. Hopefully, this will make me a better writer and should fix all those spelling errors you guys wont stop harping on about. Don't forget to thank her and if you leave something for her, I'll pass it on.

**Log 15**

Tsubkai led them further into her lab, through a sliding steel door into a great open room that looked a lot like, Sango thought, the auditoriums surgeons watched each other perform in on old TV shows.

At the end of the hall, in two steel cages, were two men. One was rather handsome with long, braided hair. The other looked like someone had tried to mold him from clay, got bored, and stopped halfway through with all the features only half formed.

"Hiten and Manten, the Thunder Brothers." Tsubaki introduced pleasently. "Boys, this is Inuyasha and...Oh, I don't think I got your name." she looked at Sango.

"Call me Spanky." Sango said dryly.

Tsubaki rolled her eyes. "Alright. Inuyasha, you fight...Hiten. I've heard he's really good. _Spanky_ can fight Manten. I hear he likes pretty girls."

Tsubaki laughed and it was beautiful, like the tinkling of a bell, as she climbed up into the stands.

"Spanky?" Inuyasha asked Sango in a whisper.

"It was the first thing that popped into my head." Sango shrugged, indifferent.

"Hey, wait, you witch!" the one called Hiten looked pissed. "Who said we'd fight for you! And open these damn cages!"

"Manten said you would fight for me." Tsubaki said as she reached into her lab coat pocket and pulled out a stoppered vial about the size of a mason jar. "For this. My miracle hair grow. Gaurenteed to work on even the baldest of men. And if even if you don't want to fight, these two are willing. If they kill you, I tell them what they want to know."

"True." Sango said, stretching a bit. "So, I got the ugly one, right?"

"Hey!" Manten glared. "I'm not ugly."

"Yeah, leave my brother alone." Hiten looked angry as if Sango had insulted him and not his brother. "As soon as I'm done with that weirdo, I'm going to help Manten skin you."

"I'm terrified." Sango looked bored.

Tsuabki giggled like a five year old as she pulled a remote from her pocket and pressed a button.

The cages over the brothers lifted and they walked out.

"No weapons, witch?" Hiten asked.

"I think Spanky and Manten are fine in hand to hand." Tsubaki said. "But, if what I've heard about Inuyasha is true, it just wouldn't be a fun fight. Take your pick."

She clicked another button and a wall moved on the other side of the arena, revealing a cache of guns.

"That's not very sportsman like." Hitan grinned evilly as he, regardless, walked over to the wall and looked over the weapons. He picked up a standard M16 and loaded it. "This will be quick."

"No interfering in each others fights." Tsubaki said, looking like a wicked puppeteer controlling her dolls. "Start whenever your ready."

"Ready!" Hiten yelled pulling the trigger of the semi-automatic gun and letting off a series of rounds towards Inuyasha.

Inuyasha, who had been born and bred to react instictively, jumped to the side and ran in a large arc, being careful to avoid Sango.

Manten and Sango glared, circling each other but not really getting close. Sizing each other up, checking to see how the other moved and reacted.

As Hiten's miniacle laughter filled the room, Sango jumped first and planted her fist firmly into his jaw.

Manten laughed, unaffected, and slammed his own fist into Sango's gut.

Sango gasped and jumped back.

Manten was stronger than he looked and he looked pretty damn strong. Stupid and ugly, but strong.

Gunfire punctuated the air rythmically as Inuyasha jumped, rolled, and dodged Hiten's shots. Inuyasha was fast, but he wasn't faster than gunfire. He kept a careful eye on Hiten, judging by his muscle movements where he would fire and jumping out of the way just a moment before the air was peppered with bullets.

From the stands, Tsubaki clapped in enjoyment as she watched.

Manten lunged forward, his hands reached for Sango's neck.

Sango ducked, pivoted, and brought the full weight of her body into his middriff.

He grunted and staggered a bit but the hit hadn't winded him like his had to her.

"Jeez, what did your momma _feed_ you?" Sango asked as her shoulder throbbed in pain from the hit.

"Hiten is fast, but I'm tuff." Manten laughed. "You'll pay for calling me ugly."

"I only spoke the truth." Sango grinned darkly, poking at his ego. "Ugly, misshapen, gross. Seriously, what happened? Did your mom give up making you half way through?"

"Shut up!" Manten swung wide but Sango ducked and jumped back.

"Somebody _should_ beat you with an ugly stick." Sango continued. "It might give your face some character."

"Stop antaginizing him, _Spanky_!" Inuyasha yelled at her over the gunshots as Sango twirled right to avoid his grabbing lunge.

"I'm not!" Sango yelled back, grinning. "I'm genuinly curious how someone could look that butt ugly and not seek the help of a plastic surgeon."

"Stop talking about my brother like that!" Hiten cried.

He started to swing the gun around to shoot at her.

Inuyasha, still watching his movements carefully, saw him moving and took the opening to jump in and yank the gun from his hand and punch him square in the jaw in one smooth movement.

Hiten went down hard as Inuyasha broke the gun into its seperate pieces and threw them across the room.

"You held back." Hiten accused as he climbed to his feet, wiping the blood from his lip.

"Some things are too easy to be fun." Inuyasha mocked.

Sango jumped, avoiding another grabbing leap, and brought her feet down hard on the back of Manten's neck.

The younger brother grunted as he hit the ground and Sango jumped off of him.

"Woo!" she said, to Inuyasha. "How do you like that?"

"Kinda busy right now." Inuyasha said as Hiten, still near the gun wrack, grabbed a pistol and began unloading it at him.

These bullets were slower and easier to avoid for the hybrid.

"Wimp, take him down!" Sango cheered, trying not to laugh because of the painful bruise forming on her belly.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her ankle and yanked ruthlessly.

Sango cried out in pain as she landed hard on the ground.

"Bitch!" Manten growled, blood coming from his nose, as he crawled over her and wrapped his sausage like hands around her neck, cutting off her windpipe.

Sango gasped as she grabbed at his finger's but he was stronger than her and his grasp didn't loosen.

"Take her out, Manten!" Hiten cheered as the pistol ran out of bullets and he reached behind him and grabbed a USAS-12 shotgun and began firing it, laughing again.

"Sango!" Inuyasha cried as his partner's face turned red and she gaped like a fish, struggling to breath.

Knowing he didn't have much time, Inuyasha stopped jumping.

He hit the ground and shot forward into the oncoming bullet.

They tore into his flesh, ripping and tearing and making him grit his teeth in pain.

But he ignored it in order to get close to Hiten, grab the barel, then shove the butt of the gun into Hiten's gut.

As he gasped, Inuyash planted his foot, slammed his fist into the side of his face.

The brother was unconcious by the time he hit the ground.

Bleeding, Inuyasha turned and ran to Sango's aid.

He dug all ten of his claws into Manten's back, the oaf cried out and his grip loosened letting Sango get a gulp of air.

Using the fingers he dug deep into the brute's muscles, Inuyasha lifted him up, slammed him down head first onto the tile.

He heard a crunch but the thing's heart continued to beat.

"You alright?" Inuyasha asked, helping Sango up.

"Fine." Sango grunted, rubbing her throat that was already starting to bruise.

"Alright, Tsubaki." Inuyasha glared at the girl who looked delighted at the gore before her. "We kept up our end of the bargain. Tell us what you know."

Tsubaki giggled. "Oh, I don't think so. You see, I said to kill them didn't I? And I also said helping each other wasn't permitted. Both teams broke the rules, neither team gets anything."

"Why you-" Sango glared.

Tsubaki laughed and threw the glass vial in her hand into the arena.

The glass shattered releasing the liquid inside that quickly turned gaseous.

"Chlorine!" Inuyasha cried, recognizing the irritating scent immediately.

He gathered Sango into his arms and ran quickly. The gas would take longer to affect the human girl, but it was almost instantly toxic to his superior nose.

Tsubaki's laughter filled the air as he ran from the room.

He knew, even as he fled the toxic air, that he wouldn't get a second chance as Tsubaki.


	17. Log 16

Okay, after last Log 14, I got some complaints and, quite honestly, I wasn't completely comfortable with it. I've rewritten the second half. This'll fix the problem I was having about speeding up the story.

Also, this is the first chapter to feature my shiny new beta!

Ladies and gents, meet my new beta Angel of Love and Fluffy Stuff. Call her Angel. From now on, she'll be helping me to write. Hopefully, this will make me a better writer and should fix all those spelling errors you guys wont stop harping on about. Don't forget to thank her and if you leave something for her, I'll pass it on.

**Log 16**

"Are you sure you're okay?" Sango asked as Inuyasha finished sneezing.

The chlorine gas hadn't been around long enough to affect Sango but just that short exposure had taken its toll on Inuyasha's nose. The bullets in his body already healed.

As he and Sango sat outside the compound on the edge of the treeline, they saw a boat pull away from the place with a head of black hair blowing in the wind as it drove away. He didn't know if the brothers got away, then again he didn't really care.

"I'm fine." Inuyasha snifled. "You?"

"My stomach and neck hurt a bit." Sango said. Both were bruised, her gut more than her neck. "Well, that sucks. We're out of leads."

Inuyasha nodded, his stomach sinking. Damn, they had been doing so well.

XXXXXXXX

Kagome tried not to groan as she opened yet another file cabinet of Miroku's. He had so much paper work!

And he wasn't even helping anymore!

He had left a few hours ago to go look at a yatch leaving Kagome alone in her boredom.

She was an intellectual. She needed mental stimulation and she wasn't getting any!

She sighed and shut the cabinet and left the room.

The abondoned building that was HQ was empty. Kagome had nothing to do but more sorting and more filing.

She was about to go insane.

She had got back together with Inuyasha but now she was being told to stay put while everyone else went off and did something.

She was bored.

She was lonely.

She wanted to see her mother!

She wasn't stupid though. Seeing her mom was a bad idea.

It didn't matter that Kagome hadn't talked to her since she left MedLab and hadn't seen her since she had taken her wallet while on the run.

Had it really only been a year? It felt longer than that.

But she deffinately couldn't go see her mom.

Kikyo knew she was in hiding she would have someone watching her childhood home.

"Hey, Kagome!" Miroku said, coming inside happily. "I think I found the perfect...what's wrong?"

Kagome sighed. "I want to go home."

"Home?" Miroku repeated. "You mean Inuyasha's? You can't go back until he gets back."

"Not that home." Kagome said. "I want to go see my mom."

"Your mother?" Miroku looked uncertain. "I don't know, Kagome. That's awefully risky. Inuyasha would kill me."

"You can come with me." Kagome pressed eagerly. "I don't mind at all."

"I don't..." Miroku hedged, "I'm just not a fighter. Why not wait until Inuyasha gets back?"

Kagome nodded. "That's a good idea. Has he and Sango reported in yet?"

"Yeah." Miroku nodded. "They called me about an hour ago. They found Tsubaki but she got away. They didn't get anything from her. They should be here soon."

"Then call them and tell them to meet at my house!" Kagome said eagerly. "We can go there now. If it wont take long, it wont be all that dangerous."

Miroku thought for a moment. "Okay. That's reasonable."

"Yes!" Kagome cheered as Miroku pulled out his phone.

"But you call him." he tossed it to her. "He'll be more likely to let us if you ask him."

Kagome found 'Inuyasha' in Miroku's contacts and called him.

"_What do you want, asshole?"_

"With that attitude, nothing." Kagome said, smiling a bit.

"_Oh, shit. Hey, Kagome. Sorry, I thought it was-"_

"Yeah, I got that." Kagome giggled. "You're almost back, right?"

"_Yeah. We should be there in about ten minutes."_

"Great. Tell Sango to go to the Sunset Shrine. We're going to go visit my mom."

"_Did Miroku...Well, I guess he approved if you're using his cell. All right, we'll be there soon."_

"Great. Thanks." Kagome beamed at the thought of Inuyasha meeting her mom. "See you soon."

She hung up and passed the phone back, eager to go see her mother.

XXXXXXXXX

It didn't take that long for Miroku to drive to the Sunset Shrine.

Kagome looked up the stairs with a big grin on her face.

She was finally home. She would get to see her family, introduce her new friends. Tell her mom about the boat plan. Her mom would be happy for her.

"Damn. What's with those stairs?" Miroku asked, shutting the car door.

Kagome laughed. "I know, right. Those things are hell and the reason my granpa hardly leaves the shrine. He can't his old ass down all the steps anymore."

"You need to install an escalator or something." Miroku only half joked.

Before Kagome could respond, a man charged out of the woods surrounding her house and tackled Miroku to the ground.

"Miroku!" Kagome screamed as her friend's head bounced on the asphalt knocking him unconcious.

The man who attacked him laughed darkly as he looked over at her.

Kagome couldn't see his face, it was covered by a rather sinister looking mask with a scar on it across one eye.

"You must be Kagome." he said, his voice muffled. "Kikyo wishes to see you."

"Who are you?" Kagome asked her hand twitching to the waistband on her jeans.

"Call me Nikuzuki" he said. "You don't need to fear me. Kikyo needs you alive. However, maybe as a treat for bringing you, she'll let me eat this man." His mask turned to look at Miroku who, Kagome was scared to see, was bleeding from the back of his head and still not moving.

"Ew." Kagome frowned at the word 'eat'. "That's disgusting."

"Human meat is actually quite delicious." he told her, his limbs shaking a bit. "Depending on the person in question of course."

Kagome felt sick at the joy in his voice as he continued like a waiter listing what tasted good and what didn't on a menu.

"Unhealthy people aren't very good." he shook his head. "Women and children are the best. Much more tender than males. Europeans are kind of...sweet, tasty. It all depends on what the person ate or where they were raised." He suddenly broke out laughing hysterically as he advanced on her.

"Kuru..." Kagome said in amazement. She had never actually seen kuru before.

"What's that?" the man asked.

"It's a degenerative brain diseased caused by eating humans, specifically the brain." Kagome said looking at him through the eyes of a scientist as his hands started shaking again. "Called the human version of mad cow disease..."

"You are annoying." the man said, giggling a bit.

"You're going to die." Kagome said, not meaning it a s a threat. Kuru was deadly.

"I don't care." he snickered. "Now be a good girl and come here."

Reacting as she was taught, Kagome jerked her small gun from her jean waistband and fired at the man.

She missed.

He giggled.

"Damn!" Kagome turned and ran, he chased her.

"I love it when the food runs." he laughed, crazed.


	18. Log 17

Maybe 'complaint' was too strong a word for me to use. Perhaps 'concerns' would be better? Concerns that I happened to share, I promise. It wasn't your fault. :)

**Log 17**

"How could you possibly be lost?" Inuyasha asked as Sango drove through the streets.

"I'm not lost." Sango insisted as she turned a corner wondering how long that building had been there. "I know exactly where we are."

"'Tokyo' doesn't count as an answer." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Why don't we just call Kagome and get directions?"

"I don't need directions." Sango said proudly. "I can find it all on my own."

"Yeah, but I don't feel like driving down every street until we do." Inuyasha sighed. His gunshot wounds had already healed. It had taken a little while longer than normal because he had to reopen them with his claws to dig the bullets out. A process that Sango winced at watching him perform. "It'll take forever getting there like this. It'll take just a few minutes to-"

"No!" Sango said. "It's a matter of principle now. I will find it without help."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

XXXXXXXXX

Why was it there was always a crowd when she didn't want one and never a single person around when she needed one, Kagome wondered as she turned a corner.

The masked man, still giggling, was running after her.

Kagome wasn't really made for running, she had a feeling he was just playing with her, letting her get ahead.

A thought that was confirmed when Kagome made to take a turn and he jumped in front of her, yelling "Boo!"

Kagome cried out, turned again and ran away.

He was playing with her. It was all a game to him. He could catch her easily, she could tell. But he was chosing to mess with her head.

Kagome went to make another turn and he jumped in front of her again, laughing when Kagome spun on her head and turned away from him.

He repeated it three more times until Kagome realized.

He wasn't playing with her.

He was herding her.

Kagome stopped dead and he ran past her a few feet before skidding to a stop.

"What's wrong? You don't want to play anymore?" he laughed. He wasn't breathing fast but Kagome was.

But her mind was working faster.

He didn't plan to kill her.

Kikyo needed her.

He was herding her.

Kikyo needed her.

He was herding her towards Kikyo or, more likely, towards someone who would take her to Kikyo.

Kagome turned and ran back towards her car.

She wasn't all that surprised when Nikuzuki jumped in front of her path, giggling hysterically.

Kagome fiented right, jumped left and ran past him.

"Where you going?" he asked, his voice no longer so joyful.

"Away from where ever the hell you were trying to take me!" Kagome yelled back, sprinting back to Miroku.

Miroku, unconcious, was in more danger than she, who was needed and therefor protected, was.

Her gun was still heavy in her hand but Kagome didn't fire it again.

Firing a gun at a range was completely different from firing it in real life.

The bang was louder without her ear protection, the kickback seemed somehow all that stronger and the sharp scent of gunpowder all that more potent.

That one shot had been spur of the moment with no thought to consequence.

But she was thinking of them now.

She highly doubted she could pull the trigger once more.

Then again...She thought as Nikuzuki danced around her, trying to get her to turn back.

But adrenaline was coursing hot through her system now, any fear she felt was muted, dim.

What was important was that she keep moving, get back to Miroku.

Hope that _somebody_ would look out their window and see this maniac chasing her!

But for that same reason she didn't want to call out for help.

She was safe. She was needed. That gave her an ounce of protection.

The people in this neighborhood had no such promise of safety.

She saw the car as she turned and saw Miroku, still on the ground. But he was sitting up a bit, groaning in pain as he held his head with one hand.

He was okay, Kagome thought in releif. That was all that mattered.

"Nuh-uh!" Nikuzuki jumped forward and grabbed Kagome's ankle sending her toppling to the ground with a cry.

She hit the asphalt hard and cried out as it skinned her cheek.

"Got you!" he sang happily. "Kikyo will be so happy."

"Get off!" Kagome kicked at him as she heard Miroku call her name in worry.

"I'll get all the yummy munchies I can eat." he said delightedly as she started dragging her back towards him.

"Let go!" Kagome's foot connected with his mask making him cry out in pain behind it.

"Be good, tasty munchie before I eat you too!" he growled.

It was a hollow threat that Kagome ignored as she kicked and twisted in his grasp.

"Stop!" he let her go and jumped up. "I only need you alive. Kikyo didn't say anything about not damaging you!"

From his own waistband, he pulled a gun and pointed it at her.

Kagome heard Miroku call for her in fear as she froze, looking up at the barrel with fear.

He had a point. They only needed her alive, they didn't need her in one piece. The hand on her gun twitched.

"Now, munchie, be good and get up quietly." he said. "Do it slow or I'll shoot you right in the shoulder. I heard a gunshot hurts wicked bad in a socket joint. We'll see just how much."

"I'm never returning to Kikyo." Kagome vowed. "And there's nothing you can do to make me!"

"Oh, there's a lot I can do." he promised, Kagome could hear the smile in his voice.

He lifted the gun and pointed it at Miroku.

Kagome lifted hers and pointed it at him.

A single shot rang out.


	19. Log 18

http:/ feudal- pulpfiction. net/ feudal/ nominations/ sample-page/

Check that out guys, I got nominated for best AU/AR Inuyasha fanfiction. Isn't that exciting? :) It's actually my second nomination in something. My first was for An Artist's Muse for, I believe, the same thing. I never actually looked but I was honored both then and this time. :D I would ask you to vote but if you're not a member of the sight you can't join during voting period to vote. But, if you are, please vote for me! I would love to win, that would awesome. And to celebrate my being nominated, which considered how many fics are made a year, is a big honor, here is another chapter for PF :)

And I just learned that Beauty and the Demon was nominated for Best Romance on the same sight.

AW! I'm so excited. Two nominations. I'm getting all warm and fuzzy inside. Two nominations, eek. I don't care if I win, that I'm nominated is good enough. I would love winning but the nominations means that I'm doing well.

Thanks for everything guys. :D!

**Log 18**

Inuyasha was surprised when they pulled up to the shrine. The smell of blood and death was strong in the air, Miroku's blood. The death was...

"Oh, my..." Sango threw the car in park and they both jumped out.

Inuyasha heard someone retching and followed the sound.

They came upon Kagome leaned against a tree, throwing up, tears pouring from her eyes and Miroku fanning her with his hand as he kept her hair out of her face. She was covered in blood, none of it hers he smelled, and there was a dead body Inuyasha didn't recognize pushed under a bush.

"What the hell happened?" Sango asked, looking at the scene with a bit of horror.

"Oh, Kami. Inuyasha." Kagome reached out for him, crying, shaking.

"What happened?" Inuyasha asked gently as he took the sobbing girl in his arms. She wasn't hurt, he couldn't smell anything wrong with her except profound grief.

"That guy came up on us." Miroku indicated to the man with his head. Then flinched and brought his hand up to to a fresh wound Inuyasha smelled there. "Knocked me out, chased Kagome down."

"I-I d-didn't...I-It was..."

"He pointed the gun at me." Miroku said. "Kagome reacted first and got him before he fired one off. Saved my life."

"Oh, good job, Kagome." Sango praised. "You reacted first, that was very good. Exactly what I taught you."

"I killed him!" Kagome wailed.

"How did no one hear the gunshot?" Inuyasha asked.

"Gunshots." Miroku corrected. "She got off two. Her gun is small, remember. It doesn't have much of a bang. Still, we need to get out of here quickly."

"Get in the van." Sango said.

"What about him?" Miroku asked.

"Leave him." Sango shrugged carelessly.

"No!" Kagome looked at Inuyasha desperately, her eyes swimming with tears. "We can't. My family..."

"Put him in the van." Inuyasha instructed. "Sango, dump him. Miroku, let's get back to base in your car."

Inuyasha bent down and picked Kagome up, cradled her in his arms, and took her away from the dead man.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Kagome?" Inuyasha opened the door of his room slowly, checking on her.

She was exactly where he had put her yesterday. Curled into the fetal position in the center of his bed, staring at the wall her back to the door.

He had reported his lack of any information to Miroku but Sango said that the dead guy had a phone on him. They were working on getting anything they could off of it.

And Inuyasha had to help Kagome, now, or this would never pass.

He entered and shut the door.

"Kagome." he said gently, climbing onto his bed and pulling her into his arms. She went willingly, eager to be back in his embrace. "Kagome, this wasn't your fault."

"I killed him." Kagome said quietly.

She hadn't thought. She saw his gun move and her hand moved before she ever really thought about moving it.

The adrenaline coursing through her system had sped up her body functions, the scientist in her knew. Her brain's frontal lobe, in charge of thought processes, was completely bypassed as the body reacted to defend itself and those it cared about. Her brain moved her hand, pulled the trigger, and shot that man before she had even realized conciously that he was pointing a gun at Miroku.

It was instinctual, it was her basic, primal fighting urges in action. From a scientific standpoint, it was the only logical path and the path anyone would have taken.

But she could still see herself raising that piece of metal, pointing it up, and feeling that tug of resistance as she pulled the trigger.

In her mind's eye, she mapped out the trajectory perfectly. The bullet fired up, through his abdominal muscles, ripping through small, then large intestines causing massive internal hemorrhaging. Then cotinuing up, either skating right past or tearing through, the stomach then peircing the heart causing almost instantanious death.

She could imagine the muscle damage, soft tissue damage, damage done by released gastric juices, the way the brain would be firing emergency signals as it tried to save itself, and the eventual death that followed.

She knew it all scientifically.

And still her mind tortured her with the fact that she had killed a man.

"I know how you feel about killing." Inuyasha told her. "I know it makes you sad. I understand."

"I..." Kagome wasn't sure what to say.

"You saved Miroku." he told her.

"I killed-"

"You saved!" he cut her off. "If you hadn't done what you did, Miroku would have died. I can't preach anyone on how killing is bad, it would be a bit too hypocritical. But I can tell you that sometimes you have no choice."

"He was a cannibal." Kagome said softly, as if trying to justify herself. "He...ate people."

"And he likely would have continued." Inuyasha finished for her. "So you saved not only Miroku but many others as well."

"He was going to die." Kagome said. "He had kuru. It's a degenerative brain disease. He was shaking and laughing uncontrollably. It eventually would have led to deadly seizures."

"And you put him out of his own misery." Inuyasha said. "See? Don't think on it, Kagome."

"How can I not?" she asked. "What I did-"

"Had to be done." Inuyasha said. "If you hadn't he would have shot Miroku. Miroku would be dead, would you prefer that?"

"No, but-"

"If he had shot Miroku, he would have taken you away from me." he continued. "Would you like that? To be back in a lab, making more creatures like me that would be tortured and treated like animals for Kikyo's use?"

"No." Kagome said, more sure of herself. That, more than anything, was the one thing she was completely sure of. She would never, ever do to anyone else what she had done to Inuyasha. And she deffinately didn't want to leave Inuyasha again.

Inuyasha kissed the top of her head, stroking her back, petting her. "You only did good, Kagome. Don't think of it any other way."

Kagome sighed but didn't fight him any more on it as she cuddled closer to his warmth.

"I love you." He told her sweetly.

She grinned a bit. "I love you, too."

"I don't mean like that." Inuyasha smiled a bit too even as she frowned and looked up at him.

"Huh?" she blinked in confusion. "What other way could you mean it?"

She looked so completely lost, so confused, that Inuyasha had to laugh a bit.

"How many other ways are there?" he asked. "I _love_ you."


	20. Log 19

**Log 19**

"And I love you, too." Kagome said back, a bit lost.

"Hello?" he knocked gently on her forehead. "Is this thing on?"

"Not funny." Kagome pushed his hand away. "What's that for?"

"I just told you I love you and you're looking at me like I'm speaking a foreign language." he said. "It's kind of insulting."

"I told you I loved you back." Kagome frowned.

Inuyasha was about to tell her again then realized she probably still wouldn't get it. She still saw him as her sweet little puppy science expirament. Well, he wasn't. He was a man, a real man, and he desired her as a man desired a woman.

"I mean, I _love_ you." he insisted again as he squeezed her body closer, pressing her side into his half errect crotch.

Kagome gasped and blushed as what he said finally registered in her mind.

She jumped up out of his lap, her worries from before far from her mind as she looked at him.

"Wh-you-ho-I...uh...I-you..." she looked so completely lost, so completely adorable.

Kagome was amazing mentally and she rarely shied away from the physical. But emotionally, she was always kind of behind. Inuyasha was only a few years old and he still had a better grasp of his emotions than she did.

She saw him as a kind of puppy, a kind of child. And true, in years alone he was a child, epecially by human standards. But he wasn't human. He was his own species, a sub-species of human true, but not a human at all. He knew he was mature now, he knew he was as adult as she was now.

And as an adult, as a man, he knew he was ready to love her.

It was her, the brilliant scientist, that was a bit slow on the emotional catch up.

And he had to teach her to love him, he had to, he realized, seduce her.

For a man who was only a few years old, had never had a romantic relationship, had only ever watched a few pornos for, mostly, educational purposes, the thought of seducing someone was a bit overwhleming. But he loved Kagome, she was his entire world, everything he did he did for her. If she needed to be gently seduced, slowly coaxed into love, he would do it.

He stood up and started towards her,

A tiny bit of anxiety flashed into her eyes and she began backing up like he was a predator coming at her.

And, in truth, he felt a bit like one. He felt a strange hunger that had nothing to do with food. He felt strong and dominating and powerful. He didn't smell any actual fear coming from her, if he had it would have stopped his movements quicker than a gun to the chest.

What he smelled was apprehension, weariness, and just a hint of primal female excitement. She recognized that predatorial look in his eyes; the way a male looked onto his female. And she may not have responded emotionally, but she was responding physically and that was a start.

She backed into the wall and then there was no more room for her to run.

So a moment later he was there putting his hand on the wall beside her effectively caging her in. He wasn't even touching her and her breathing was already harsh. She was looking up at him, her big brown eyes wide and full of disbelief.

But there was a hint of arousal in her blood. It was a strangely sweet/spicy smell. Delicate but thick, strong but hesitant. She wasn't ready to make love yet, but he had to plant the seeds sometime and it was a perfect time now.

He leaned over her and licked at her neck. Exactly as he used to do, but he did it slower and he felt her shiver at the touch. Goosebumps poped up on her skin were his tongue trailed along and the scent of her desire got stronger.

She was still a woman after all, her body reacted to his exactly as a woman's would.

Kagome's mind was blank, and that happened rarely if ever. He barely touched her and only in a way he had already done hundreds of times before. But it was different now. The lick wasn't a loving marning greeting or a soft cry for a treat that he had always given her.

It was just a carress, the kind a man gave the love of his life.

He trailed his tongue up the curvature of her neck and she found herself tilted her head back to give him better access and a soft, almost moan escaped her throat without her noticing.

He began nibbling gently on the curve of her chin and jaw and Kagome's limbs trembled.

Her precious puppy, her perfect little expirament was not acting in a way that she expected. She didn't predict this, she didn't plan for this, and yet still it was inevitable.

He was going to grow and, true, he did it much faster than she thought possible. And with maturity came a sexual awareness for pretty much all living creatures.

But she didn't, ever, think that he would possibly pick her as the subject of that sexual awareness.

And she deffinately wasn't ready for what his touch did to her.

And it wasn't until he lifted his lips to hers and began moving them together, and she found herself reciprocating the kiss, that she realized.

She had created her ideal lover.

She was a scientist, it was almost a given that she was interested in sci-fi. His ears, his fangs, his claws; so stereotypically sci-fi but still so damn attractive. The power, the speed, the color of his hair. All of it was what attracted her. She picked, created, and defined every strand of DNA that made him and every single one was desireable to her.

Even the way he kissed, active but still savoring, was perfect. He tasted like summer, that was the only way she could describe it.

She had created her own lover.

And that realizatioin kick started her brain and she tore her lips from his and looked away.

"What's wrong?" Inuyasha whispered. He felt like he had just touched an electric fence and the current was still running wild through his body. He wanted to turn her head back, take what she obviously had no problems giving.

But the arousal in her scent was fading and a bit of shame was tainting it.

"I..." Kagome wasn't sure what to say.

But Inuyasha was fine with what he had. He could be patient, with mixed results. He had planted the seed of desire, that was all that he needed to do. He would back up for now and give her the space she needed.

He kissed her cheek, a chaste, innocent, platonic kiss that he would have given her before and he could tell she took comfort in it. "I'll sleep on the couch." he told her and left the room to leave her with her thoughts.

That night was the first time they had been together but slept apart.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Alright, good news." Miroku said as Kagome and Inuyasha joined him and Sango the next day. Kagome was carefully avoiding looking at Inuyasha though they still stood together. Miroku wondered what had happened to cause that look in the girl's eye. "We went through Asshole's phone." Miroku still had a bandage on his head.

"Besides a couple of extremely disgusting photos," Sango told them, "involving dead bodies that we deleted in respect of the dead, there was only one number."

"We traced the phone it belongs to." Miroku grinned triumphantly. "It's Yura's."

"Crazy knot chick?" Inuyasha asked. He didn't seem at all disturbed by Kagome avoiding looking at him which just made Miroku more curious. And he found it so amusing that, though she avoided looking at him, Kagome still stood close enough to Inuyasha that she just had to lean a bit and she would be resting against him.

"That's the one." Miroku nodded. "She's always got her phone on, lucky for us, and we've been tracking her."

"Where's she at now?" Kagome asked.

"At what, we believe, is Kikyo's hideout." Sango said.

Miroku typed in a few commands on his computer and pulled up a city map with one blinked red dot and turned the screen to face them. "This is Yura. She spends a lot of time here."

"Where is that?" Inuyasha asked looking at it.

"It's a mansion just outside the city limits." Sango said as Miroku pulled up Google Maps and showed them the satalite shot of a mansion a few miles out of Tokyo and surrounded by a large, stone, wall with an iron gate.

"We can't get here there." Sango said. "And if it's not Kikyo's place I'd rather not try. No point in waisting energy and scaring Kikyo off in the process."

"So, what do we do?" Kagome asked.

"What do _we_ do, you mean." Miroku corrected her. "You're not trained for this kind of thing."

Kagome grumbled and crossed her arms unhappily. She didn't like killing, but she didn't like being useless either.

"_We_, as in not Kagome, are going to wait until Yura leaves." Sango filled them in, agreeing with Miroku and Inuyasha made no protests. "Then we're going after her, capturing her and getting her to talk by any means possible."

"So, how long do you think we'll have to wait?" Inuyasha asked.

Mrioku shrugged. "No one knows."

XXXXXXXXXX

Naraku was sure someone was conspiring against him. His incarnations were all failing. He had made two before, why couldn't he do it again? Why was it failing?

It wasn't his fault. He had done everything perfectly. He couldn't be to blame.

He roared his rage as he swept his arm across a lap table scattering papers and shattering beakers all across his lab. A machine in the corner had already suffered his wrath and was even now sparking uselessly with an axe embedded in it.

Obviously, Kikyo was having defective equipment sent to him.

That dumb bitch was trying to make him fail.

Well he would show her, he would show them all.

Kagome.

Kagome.

Kagome.

What was so damn great about Kagome anyway?

A spoiled little girl who had gotten lucky. That was it. Luck was better than skill and Naraku deffinately had the last one. The only way she could have been smarter than him at all was pure luck.

He would prove it to her, to that dumb bitch Kikyo too, that he was the smarter. He was the better.

He started laughing as a plan formed in his head. Oh yes, there would be suffering.


	21. Log 20

**Log 20**

"Any movement?" Sango asked as she returned to the room, two cups of fresh coffee in her hands.

Finally, there was something Kagome could do that was actually helpful besides Miroku's damn paperwork. Unfortunately, now she was charged with staring at a stationary red dot on a map and waiting for it to change positions.

"Yeah. She moved to about a milimeter to the left." Kagome sighed and thanked Sango as she passed her one of the coffees.

"Exciteing." Sango resisted the urge to yawn.

"What are the boys doing?" Kagome asked as she took a sip. She wasn't really a big coffee fan but she was a huge caffine fan. She was thinking about investing. Especially since it was the only thing keeping her awake while watching the mostly unmoving dot.

"Well, Miroku is drooling over a yatch." Sango sat by her. "It's just a bit out of Inuyasha's prefered price range but I was thinking about picking up the slack."

"I thought you were in charge of stocking up food." Kagome said.

"I've got a lot saved." Sango shrugged. "I've been doing this longer than Inuyasha and I'm not really one for shiny things or things that smell like 2000 bucks an ounce."

Kagome smiled a bit. Then asked, in what she hoped was a nonchalant way, "And Inuyasha?"

"Doggy-boy is off getting passports." Sango took a sip of coffee, cursed when it burned her tongue, and set the cup down. "We're not all exactly...legal. We have to get our paperwork at a special...place. He's gone to get them. Do you have a passport?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah, I do. But it's in the safe at my mom's house."

"That's okay." Sango pulled out her phone and started texting. "Inuyasha can get you a copy."

"Don't I have to be there for that?" Kagome asked, her brows furrowing a bit.

Sango laughed a bit. "I don't think you understand exactly how _underground_ we actually are."

Kagome sighed. "I remember when life was easy."

Sango laughed. "I don't. My life has pretty much always been just like this."

"That's kind of...sad." Kagome felt sorry for her.

Sango shrugged it off. "It doesn't matter to me. When this is the only life you've known, you think it's pretty damn great. Besides, I'm lucky. I get to retire with all my limbs intact early enough to enjoy it. Life is going to be great on that boat."

Kagome nodded. "It'll be...nice."

The boat was really starting to feel like a dream Kagome was never going to reach. So far away and still every one looked forward to it with such enthusiasm.

"So, what's with you and Doggy-boy lately?" Sango asked making Kagome jump and blush a bit.

"Wh-what? What are y-you talking about? Uh..."

Sango laughed at her. "Don't even try to play it off. He's been grinning like a fool and you've been avoiding looking at him for days."

"Oh, I think Yura is moving." Kagome said desperately.

"Nice try." Sango smirked. "Come on. Talk to me. You can trust me. Sort of."

"That's very reassuring." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Come on!" Sango urged. "We're practically sisters. You can tell me anything."

Kagome sighed and said, just a little quietly, "He...kissed me."

"Ooh." Sango beamed. "Now, we're getting somewhere. Tell me everything."

"Sango." Kagome looked away. "That's..."

"Look, pervert in a lab coat, Inuyasha already told me that you gave him something to be proud of a little further south of those pretty eyes of his." Sango winked. "I know you've got a secret freak in you somewhere. Tell me everything."

Kagome resisted sighing again. "I...liked it."

"Of course you did." Sango laughed. "He's hot, if you're into dogs. Which I assume you are. More, more."

"He wants more too." Kagome admitted thinking back to that moment. "But...he's still just a..." she gave one humorless laugh. "I guess he's not a puppy anymore, is he?"

"Hasn't been for some time." Sango pointed out. "You should be proud of what he's become. I would be. I would also be hitting that every oppotunity I got."

Kagome laughed out loud. "Sango, how can you even say that?"

"How can you not want it?" Sango countered.

"Who said I didn't?" Kagome asked pointedly.

Sango gasped and beamed, "I _knew_ it.

"But..." Kagome groaned.

"But what?" Sango asked. "What's stopping you from-"

"I don't need a visual thanks." Kagome cut her off.

"What's stopping you?" Sango corrected herself.

"He's still a..." Kagome's mouth moved but no sound came out. He was still so young.

Wasn't he?

XXXXXXXXXX

Kikyo growled as she tapped her fingers on her desk in impatience.

Things were deffinately not going well.

Naraku was losing what was left of his sanity, members of her orginazation were fallingor bailing quicker than she could replace them, and all the while that damn scientist she wanted so badly was out there alluding her.

She had to be careful.

Kagome was quickly become just as much of an obsession to her as it was to Naraku. She didn't want to lose her mind over so stupid a matter.

A matter she had invested so much time and money in.

She wanted her super soldiers, she had paid through the nose to get them. And the only working subject was out there with her scientist making her life hell.

The half-breed was much smarter than Naraku had surmised making Kagome right, again. The damn thing could think and reason for itself which was a deffinate bad thing. Kikyo wanted her soldiers to blindly follow her orders and feel devotion only to her.

And once that damn Kagome was back in her grasp, she could achieve that.

She pulled out her phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Kanna. Anything to report?"

"_No_."

Kikyo groaned and hung up. Kanna was good, loyal, and extremely straight-to-the-point. She had the albino mistake following Kagome. And the moment Kagome's guard fell, Kanna could go in and snatch her.

Something the albino girl had sent that worthless Nakazuki to do but he failed. Got himself killed by a nerd no less.

Next time, Kikyo comforted herself. Next time she would have her firmly in her hands making her more and more of those wonderfully powerful hybrids.

Soon.

Very soon.


	22. Log 21

**Log 21**

Kagome resisted the urge to yawn as she watched the dot on the screen.

It seemed like Yura didn't, ever, want to leave, what they believed was, Kikyo's mansion. And they couldn't get to her on it. But she seemed perfectly content on not moving at all.

Kagome wished she had that sort of lack of desire to move.

She was back to useless, back to being stuck in one place, back to being bored out of her mind.

The only thing she could do anymore, the only thing they would let her do anymore, was watch Yura's trace.

Which was just about as fun to do as watch paint dry.

She didn't even have Sango around to talk to anymore. She had left her to go tie up any lose ends so that they could ship off without worry. Miroku was talking to the big bosses that, he assured them, they would never meet, never hear about, and never even see. He was getting his replacement problem in order.

As for Inuyasha...

Kagome would rather not think about it.

Every time she thought about it, a curious tightness started in her belly.

What had become of him?

Of course she had made him attractive to her, she was just as human as the next person. She had every human failing. Making him good looking was natural.

Of course, she had thought that by the time he was the physical age he was now, she would be about twice her own age. Far too old for him to be interested in her.

But he was about the same age, physically, as her now.

They were compatible, she had practically designed him to be so.

He was everything she ever dreamed, everything she ever imagined. He was her dreams, her fantasies, her desires.

So why did she hesitate when he opened his arms to her?

Surely she shouldn't be given this gift.

Most people were lucky if they found that one, even if only for a moment.

No one had ever been able to not only get their one to order but create it themselves.

What had she done to deserve that?

And wasn't he far too young? He was only a few years old. She would be practically a cradle robber if she took what he offered her so, so temptingly.

Then again...

How many people got to create their ideal lover. She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to sleep with him.

"Kagome?"

She turned from the screen and her thoughts and saw Inuyasha and Sango standing in the doorway.

"No movement yet." she said as she had multiple times these last few days.

"No." Sango laughed. "It's time to change shifts."

"Huh?" Kagome blinked and checked the time on the computer. She was right. Kagome had been so lost in her own thoughts this shift she hadn't even noticed the steady passing of time.

"Come on." Sango came forward and pulled her from the chair. "You're slowly losing your mind. Go do something more interesting."

"Like what? Watch a snail race?" Kagome was feeling grumpy an ornery.

"Get outa here, sweetie." Sango pushed her at Inuyasha. "Let me drive myself nuts watching the dot for a while."

"See you later Sango." Inuyasha took Kagome into his arms. She didn't resist him but neither did she act particularly comfortable in his arms. "Call me on my cell if you see any movement."

"Cross your fingers." Sango waved them off. As soon as the door shut behind them, her smile fell and she turned to the screen with a frown.

Being a mercenary was easier than this endless watching and waiting.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, Myoga!" Inuyasha called as they entered the apartment. "Myoga?"

Kagome walked past him as Inuyasha sniffed the air.

It was really hard living out here. The scents and odors of so many people, things, and animals were always intermingling, driving his nose crazy.

"I don't think he's here." Kagome said as she opened his door and checked inside. It was empty. "Must have gone to the store. We're almost out of food."

"Yeah." Inuyasha nodded. He didn't really care if Myoga had decided to visit Pluto at that moment.

The important thing was that he was alone, in relative peace, with Kagome.

"Want me to make something?" she asked opening the refrigerator and peeking inside. Kagome wasn't the best cook in the world but she could make one mean omelet.

"I'm not really hungry." Inuyasha said, watching her backside as she bent over and poked around inside the fridge.

"Good." she laughed, oblivious. "Because at this point the best thing I could make you is a moldy ketchup sandwich."

Inuyasha, tired of being ignored, as much as she could ignore him, grabbed her arm and straightened her up as he closed the fridge with the other hand.

"I'm not hungry." his voice was pitched just a bit lower than usual making it rumble a bit.

"Uhh..." Kagome moved her lips but no sound came out. "Well then...h-how about some TV!" she ducked out of his grasp and tried not to run into the living room.

Even as she reached for the remote, he was there.

He took her outstretched hand and turned her around so she was suddenly pressed into his chest.

Butterflies burst into life in her stomach as her heart skipped a beat then thundered ahead.

"You've been ignoring me." he accused gently.

"I was just talking to you." she jumped to her own defense. She was wiggling, trying to escape. It was a half hearted struggle that, from the bulge that started pressing into her belly, only served to excite him more.

"But you haven't looked at me." he tilted his head as if curious what would happen if he continued further.

Considering that, despite that one year that they weren't even together, they had done their best to always be together, it had been sort of painful to him. He didn't like her ignoring him like that. It felt like he was being punished. He wanted her affection back. More than anything he just wanted her to smile at him like she had done since the first time he had opened his eyes.

"That's...well...y-you..." she wasn't sure what to say. Part of her wanted to tell him to stop touching her like that, that it was wrong. The other part told the first part to shut up and enjoy it.

"Did you not enjoy the kiss?" he asked pointlessly. He already knew the answer.

"I...I...um...you see..."

"That wasn't an essay question." he chuckled as he brought her close, lifting her a bit so she stood up on her toes. He tilted his head down and licked her neck again. She shivered in a most delightful fashion. "It was a simple true or false, professor. So?"

Kagome wanted to know the right answer. This was a test that she didn't study for, never reviewed, and wasn't ready to take.

And when the answer was either A or B there was a 50/50 chance to get it right. She knew the math. But she also knew that picking A or B could lead to much more than she had ever planned.

Did she plan on falling in love? Sure, maybe one day she might meet a guy who stimulated her intellectually. Some one whose psychiatry matched hers and who, hopefully, didn't have any genetic predispositions for disease or addiction. Someone whom she could communicate with, feel comfortable around.

That was as far as her thought process would go on the prospect of finding a mate. It had never really been a key factor in her life. She was probably one of the only girls who didn't dream about her wedding one day.

No, she dreamed about this, she realized.

She dreamed about reaching the peak of scientific achievement. Of holding greatness.

And she was.

She had created a living creature from nothing more than a few strands of completely incompatible DNA.

And she got to hold it in her arms.

"True." she whispered.

Inuyasha leaned back. "True?"

"True." She nodded. "I did enjoy our kiss."

He smiled a bit and dipped his head down to hers.

She tried to prepare herself for it this time. For that electricity that shot through her body when their lips touched.

It was pointless to try.

Since one hand was still held in his, she could only wrap one arm around his neck as he moved his lips with hers. He was no expert, but then, neither was she.

She was no virgin, but it didn't exactly follow that she was experienced.

So they explored this, mostly, unfamiliar territory with each other.

Kagome knew, because she put it there, that there was a bundle of nerves at the base of his ears. An erogenous zone that could by physically stimulated.

In other words, he liked getting his ears rubbed.

So she moved her free hand up, trailed it through his hair, then started messaging circles into the delicate flesh.

Inuyasha growled low appreciatively.

He let go of her hand, put both of his on her thighs then lifted her up so he could walk her over to the couch.

He dropped her down gently but didn't separate himself from her.

He moved one knee up, keeping her legs apart.

Kagome mewed happily as his knee rubbed across the crotch of her pants.

He slid one clawed hand under her shirt and caressed her silky smooth skin.

She purred at the touch of his skin on hers, encouraging him further.

He sat up so he could pull the shirt over her head.

It took a second of wiggling, and a giggle from her, before they worked it off and he threw it away.

"We should go in the room." Kagome suggested as she buried her hands in his hair. It was soft like actual furr.

"Yeah, it would be pretty to do what I saw in those videos on this couch." he agreed.

Kagome laughed. "No, silly. I meant Myoga. He might be home any minute now."

"True." he nodded.

Instead of letting her stand, he got up and pulled her into his arms, holding her bridal style.

Kagome beamed. "I've never been carried like this before."

"Get used to it." he said. It was easy holding her like this. She weighed almost nothing to him.

He twirled her making her laugh before directing them towards his room.

If that voice spoke up against this, Kagome quickly shut it up. She hadn't been pleased, physically, in a long, long time.

To have it done by the man she had, unintentionally, created to be able to do just that was a very tempting prospect.

And she decided to not have any qualms about it any more.

She was a single, consenting adult. She could make love to some one if she wanted to.

So when Inuyasha put her on the bed and stood back to gaze at her, she made a show of sitting up and slowly unclasping her bra.

It wasn't much of a strip tease, but it was the best she could do.

And it seemed to excite him.

"Come here." Kagome beckoned. She felt so incredibly sexy and powerful under his gaze.

"No need to tell me twice." he laughed as he climbed over her again.

Before they could get back to anything, his phone went off.

"Damn it!" Kagome dropped back onto the bed, pouting as Inuyasha sat back up and pulled the phone out.

He rolled his eyes before clicking talk. "Sango this better be damn important."

"_Ooh, is something going on that I should know about?" _she asked happily.

"Be jealous." Inuyasha said as he gazed at Kagome's perfect breasts, heaving in time with her breathing just waiting for him. "Now, make it quick."

"Yura's on the move." Sango said apologetically.

"Damn it!" Inuyasha mimicked Kagome.


	23. Log 22

**Log 22**

"Kagome?" Miroku poked his head into the break room of headquarters. As he suspected, Kagome was sitting at the checkers table, playing against herself. "Hey." he smiled, not entering the room all the way. "How you doing?"

"Fine." she sighed as she moved a black piece, jumping three reds.

"Sango and Inuyasha already go off chasing Yura?" he asked sweetly.

"Yup." Kagome moved a red, jumping four black. Then stared at the board in concentration.

"You look like you're having fun." Miroku said.

"I'm bored." Kagome's voice was dull. It didn't help much that she had just been about to have some _real_ fun before Sango put her big nose in the way.

"Well, I brought you a present." Miroku said in a sing-song voice.

"If you say a chemistry set, I'm throwing a checkers piece at your head." she grumbled.

Silence.

Kagome sighed. "Is it a chemistry set?"

"Kinda." Miroku laughed.

Kagome groaned and turned to him.

"See, when my bosses found out you were here," he started, "they got kind of excited. They decided to provide you a lab, free of charge."

"I'm retiring." Kagome said dully.

"I know." Miroku nodded. "That's what I told them but they insisted. Said you weren't retired yet and could make yourself useful while you're here."

Kagome sighed again but stood up. "Where is it?"

"Fifth door on the right in the basement." Miroku grinned in appreciation. "Want me to lead you there?"

"No, I can find it." Kagome said unhappily.

Miroku smiled at her and left the room.

Kagome, much slower and less excited, left as well.

Following his directions, she went down to the basement, passing four doors and stopping at the fifth.

Kagome looked at the door unhappily.

She had spent so long studying, so long working, put in so much effort into science. And now she looked at a door that threatened science and she felt a horrible twisting in her stomach.

She just hated it now. The thought of chemicals, beakers, physics, DNA just made her want to pull her own hair out. Inuyasha was it. That was the culmination of everything she had ever done in the realm of science. She was done, well and truly out of it.

Yet, because of all the studying, all the work, and all the effort, it seemed that science was the only thing she knew how to do any more.

Well, she supposed it was better than doing nothing and being useless.

"Just until the boat." she whispered to herself.

She opened the door and stepped inside.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Where is she now?" Inuyasha asked, looking at the GPS. Yura's dot was red and clear against the white and blue and yellow background. But so was their car. And he had yet to completely grasp the ability to understand the thing. It always seemed to turn, invert, and change. He didn't think it was because he was so young, he had had experience with the GPS for a few months now. And, thanks to Kagome, he did have above average intelligence. That wasn't the problem.

The GPS was just damn confusing.

"She hasn't moved." Sango said for the third time.

"Damn piece of shit." Inuyasha grumbled as he sat back unhappily.

"I told you I could sit you down and teach it to you." she offered, smiling a bit.

"I don't need directions especially from some stupid machine." Inuyasha said stubbornly. "I can find it myself."

"Aw." Sango smiled wide. "You're such a typical man."

"I don't understand. Explain." Inuyasha asked.

"Nothing." Sango shook her head, still grinning.

"So, what's our plan for dealing with Yura?" he changed the subject. He was sure he would figure it out sooner or later. And when he did, he would bring it up again to, most likely, deny the accusation.

"Um..." Sango pretended to think. "Take her down, wring her out?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't care either way. I'm actually getting kind of bored with all this. I just want to take this bitch down and move on with our lives."

"Yura?"

"Kikyo." he sighed. "And, I have a bone to pick with you."

"Oh?" Sango asked.

"You just had to call me at that moment, didn't you?" he grumbled unhappily.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Naraku? Sweet heart?" Kikyo opened the door slowly, sudden movements were bad for him right now. He didn't react well to them. "Are you in here?"

"Not now, you over inflated, self absorbed, tyrannical-"

"Careful, careful." Kikyo tisked gently as she smiled, surprisingly happy at his obvious loss of sanity. "You don't want to bite the hand that feeds you."

He started mumbling darkly. She couldn't exactly hear him but she heard something about a fish and a couple of things that sounded anatomically impossible.

"Now, darling, don't be so grouchy." Kikyo looked around. Almost everything was destroyed and the entire room was dark and gloomy. "Love your new décor."

He mumbled darkly again. This time she only heard something about that same fish and a few other people involved in something else anatomically impossible.

"I don't mean to interrupt you, but what are you doing?" she asked as if addressing her favorite child.

He mumbled darkly again.

"Is is so my business, love." Kikyo smiled. She hadn't heard him again, but she was pretty sure something about oily nose and annoyance lead to that point.

More dark mumbling.

"Well, that sounds terrific." Kikyo was pleased. "I'll just leave you to it."

She left the used-to-be-a lab, grinning triumphantly. Sure, he was useless from a purposeful stand point. But when it came to entertaining her, Naraku was the greatest thing she had. Once she had Kagome, she would make sure to kill him painlessly in repayment.

As for that Inuyasha...

Kikyo paused to think.

He was going to end up being a problem. When she got Kagome, he would obviously come after her like the loyal puppy he was. She needed something to take him down.

Something that would weaken him.

She thought it over as she returned to her office. She was no super genius like Kagome, but dealing with some worthless pup shouldn't be so hard.

XXXXXXXXXX

Yura thought hard as she looked at the lengths of rope.

That rope promised unbreakability which would be good for her Bone Breaker Knot. But that knot would pinch when stretched against skin, perfect for any of her torture knots.

Her arms were already full of other varying lengths, diameters, and colors of rope, twine, and even thread. And she only had enough money to buy one of them.

She supposed she could pick one, go home, get more money the come back. But she really needed the money for her hair style appointment and spa day. She had been working hard lately, she really deserved the break. Knots were her life and joy. But all that concentrating, and some knots had to be carefully tied and created, it really created tension in her shoulders.

She sighed as she looked them over.

She really needed more Bone Breaker rope.

But who knew when Kikyo needed some good old fashioned torture to be done? She always needed to maintain a healthy stock of torture rope and the pinching ones were just the icing on the cake.

How much more pinchy rope did she have left?

"Oh, poopy." she pouted.

"Can I help you miss?" a pretty saleswoman asked, coming up to her, her ugly orange vest clashing hideously with her green shirt.

"What do you think is more important; breaking or pinching?" she asked seriously.

"Uh...in what context?" the saleslady asked, her smile not fading.

"Never mind." Yura decided. "Breaking. Deffinately. I can buy the pinching later."

She grabbed the spool and smiled, happy with her choice.

It wasn't until she walking out of the store, a plastic bag in both hand that she hesitated.

"...Maybe I _should_ have picked the pinchy one...Oh, poopy." she sighed. "This sucks."

"No. I kind of think this is a big break."

Yura turned, not recognizing the male voice.

"Oh, look." she smiled. "The pretty puppy. You can talk?"

"It's not a new trick." Inuyasha was leaning against the wall. Sango was on the other door of the big super store. Inuyasha was actually pretty happy he was the one who got to take the bitch down. "I was really hoping I was the one who would get to catch you."

"Ooh." Yura grinned as she worked her hips. "Are you going to lock me up?" she put her wrists together and held them out to him. "Have I been a naughty girl?"

"Some things are too easy, Yura." Inuyasha said, slightly disgusted. It wasn't that she wasn't pretty. But her scent was too musky. The same musk most prostitutes held. It wasn't pleasant at all. Especially since so many male and female scents were mixed in with hers.

"You're no fun." she pouted.

"Shut up." Inuyasha came forward and snagged her wrists. "I'm surprised you aren't running."

"I may be a sadist, my pretty little puppy." Yura fluttered her eyelashes at him. "But I'm a masochist too. There's nothing you can do that wont excite me."

"We'll see." Inuyasha pulled some rope from her bag and tied off her wrists.

"A double knot?" she blinked then rolled her eyes. "Boring. Why didn't your just put in a little bow?"

Inuyasha tightened them cruelly.

Yura moaned appreciatively. "Thank you, sir. Can I have another?"

"I already have a headache." Inuyasha mumbled as he turned her towards their van.

XXXXXXXXXX

"_You know our conditions." _the man on the screen said. Like some bad movie, he was mostly in shadow, not even the generic beige background of the webcam video able to identify anything about him. Cliché it may be, but it worked. Miroku couldn't even tell what the man's skin color was.

"I know." Miroku nodded. "But-"

"_No 'but's, Miroku. We've made our deal clear. If you don't deliver...well, I don't have much hopes of that little dingy you're buying making it out of the harbor. Or your friends making it out alive."_

"Sir, please-" Miroku tried again but the camera went black. "Damn." he dug his hand into his hair hopelessly. He really didn't want to do this.


	24. Log 23

**Log 23**

"Wow." Miroku entered Kagome's lab for the first time and looked around.

"Hey." Kagome said from the back. He couldn't really tell what she was doing. She seemed to be mixing something in a vial, it was clear.

"What you got there?" he asked, standing a bit behind her. What he knew of science was almost nothing. Kagome wasn't wearing gloves or goggles but that didn't necessarily follow that the stuff was harmless.

"Sodium thiopental." she said, holding up the beaker.

"What is that?" Miroku asked, confused.

"Sodium thiopental is a fast acting, short lasting barbituate." her voice was monotone, obviously not interested in the stuff. "It is one of the first drugs administered in a lethal injection."

"And why do you have it?" Miroku looked a bit concerned as she poured the contents of the beaker into a vial.

"Because it is also used to suppress higher cognitive functions." she said as if that explained everything.

Miroku thought it over for a moment. Then sighed. "I know you think you're making, but it's really not reaching my brain."

"It's for Yura." she explained as she capped the vial. "It can be used as a truth serum."

"Wait, what?" Miroku looked at her, shocked.

"Like I said, it suppresses higher cognitive functions." she held up the vial to look at. "It takes more effort for the brain to lie than tell the truth. It also makes the taker easy to manipulate under pressure."

"Wow." Miroku repeated as the door opened and Inuyasha came in.

"I am so sick of that...thing." he shook his head. "Every time I go in the room she starts moaning and begging for me to spank her."

"That's gross." Kagome flinched in sympathy.

"Wait, I'm still stunned from the truth potion." Miroku paused the conversation. "Why haven't I heard of this stuff?"

"It's not that reliable." Kagome shrugged. "People can mix fact with fantasy under it's influence. If Inuyasha hadn't asked for it I wouldn't have even made it at all."

"You asked for it?" Miroku turned to him.

"Anything to shut her up." Inuyasha was dead serious. "You haven't been in her holding cell. She's driving me and Sango crazy."

"Here." Kagome passed him the vial and a syringe. "Give her about 10 ml. She'll pass right out but she'll wake up again in about 10 minutes. You can ask her questions then. Just remember, it might not all be reliable. You should probably do multiple sessions over a few days to make sure you get consistent answers."

"Thank you, my love." Inuyasha bent down and kissed her real quick.

She looked extremely unhappy.

Not sad, not angry; just not happy. Like a quiet misery that was slowly taking her over.

She just really, really didn't want to be here, messing with chemicals again.

He really didn't want to ask her to do this. Not when she so obviously didn't like doing it.

"I'm sorry for asking you to do this." he said to her softly. "I know how much you hate it. But I'm going to bring Kikyo down quickly so we can all live safely together without you having to do this ever again."

Kagome smiled a bit. "Thank you."

He caressed her cheek a bit before turning and leaving.

Miroku watched him go then turned back to Kagome. "Do you ever regret making him?"

"Sometimes." she said honestly. "I hate doing to him what I did. But, every time I think like that," she smiled a bit, "I stop regretting it. I just...Nothing. Anyway, did you want something?"

"Huh?" Miroku blinked. "Uh, no. Not a bit. Just...coming to check on you. I'll...I'll see you later."

"Sure." Kagome waved him bye as he left.

As soon as Miroku closed the door, he sighed.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Look, Sango." Inuyasha held up the vial as he entered the cell. Yura was behind her, tied to a chair, panting seductively.

"Hello, sir." she licked her lips. "Have you come to punish me?"

"Is that the stuff?" Sango looked relieved as Inuyasha held up the vial.

"Kagome said 10 ml should do it." he uncapped the syringe and held up the vial. Sango may have been the smarter when it came to the GPS, but Inuyasha was definitely better at injections. "She said we'll have to wait about ten minutes after injecting her."

"What's that?" Yura asked, suddenly looking not so confidant.

"Veritaserum." Sango said.

"What the hell is _that_?" Yura looked panicked as Inuyasha came over to her and stuck the needle into her arm.

"Punishment." Inuyasha smirked.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kagome's cell phone rang as she sat, looking at her chemicals lined up in a row.

In really was a state of the art lab. Everything any person interested in science would dream of being allowed to work in.

It was really too bad she was no longer interested in science.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and answered it without looking.

"_Hey Kagome._" Myoga familiar voice came over the speaker.

"Hey." Kagome smiled a bit.

"_You sound sad. What's wrong?"_

"Just feeling a bit...trapped." she admitted running her finger down an empty test tube.

"_Trapped, huh? Well. I was going to ask you to pick up some milk before you got home but how about, instead, you let an old man take a pretty girl like you out on a date?"_

Kagome laughed a little. "Sweet talker."

"_Come by and pick me up. We'll go somewhere nice."_

"But Inuyasha-"

"_Is a big boy now and can stay by himself." _Myoga cut her off, she could hear the smile in his voice.

She didn't respond and she could practically hear the awareness of what she was referring to settle over him.

"_Don't worry, dear. You're a big girl now and can go out by yourself. Or with an old companion."_

Kagome laughed again. "Fine." she gave in. "I'll be there in a few minutes.

XXXXXXXXXX

When she pulled up in front of the apartment, Myoga insisted on driving them to where ever it was they were going and Kagome went around to the passenger seat.

"Did you tell Inuyasha where you were going?" was the only thing he asked her.

"He was busy so I told Miroku." she answered as they drove away.

They stayed in silence then as Myoga steered them to where ever it was they were going. Kagome didn't ask, she didn't really care. He had been right about getting her out of head quarters. It felt good to just sit back and watch buildings zoom by out her window.

It took about half an hour until buildings stopped appearing and suddenly they were driving over a dirt road through a tunnel of trees.

"Where are we?" she asked, not remembering this road.

"This is a special place." Myoga smiled. "I used to come here a lot when I was young. Not many people even know about it."

"Where does it go?" Kagome looked around, she couldn't see out of the trees.

"You'll see." was all Myoga said.

About five minutes passed.

Then, without any warning at all, they left the trees and were suddenly driving right next to a beach.

"We're here." Myoga turned off the car. "We have to walk the rest of the way, cars don't do well on sand."

Kagome, a bit stunned at seeing a beach not packed with people, got out of the car and looked out over the horizon.

The stunning blue water glimmered in the sunlight, and now that the car was off, she could hear the waves as they rushed up on the empty beach.

It was beautiful.

"Let's go." Myoga said, smiling at her.

Kagome took a moment to take off her shoes to avoid getting sand in them, before following his down to the shore.

They sat just on the edge of the water, Kagome let her feet get close enough that the approaching waves could wash over them.

They were silent for a while. It wasn't uncomfortable, just silent.

Finally, some time later, Kagome said, "I should probably thank you."

"For what?" Myoga asked, he looked completely peaceful.

"For raising Inuyasha for me." she looked over at him. "When we separated, he went to you and you made him into the person he is now."

"The man he is now." Myoga corrected. "He _is _a man, Kagome."

Kagome didn't respond.

"You still see him as young." he said. "You've been trying but you don't as yet see him as a real man. But he is Kagome, he is."

"I...I know." Kagome said quietly, pulling her legs up to her chest and curling her body around them. "He's so...much better than I could ever have dreamed."

"He's a good man." Myoga nodded.

"Because of you." Kagome smiled a bit at him. "Thank you for that."

"I had a great base to work with." he complemented. "But you are happy with him, aren't you?"

"I am." Kagome tilted her head back and let the sun shine on her face. "Just being around him makes me feel safe and secure and peaceful."

"Then why are you so sad lately?" Myoga asked.

Instead of answering, Kagome fell back and laid down flat on the sand. The bright blue sky, just a few, fluffy white clouds floated around above her. It was timeless, beautiful, peaceful.

Myoga was right. Even now she was starting to feel less confined, freer.

"I'll tell you one thing," Myoga said standing up and brushing the sand off his pants, "in my experience, if you really want something, you usually have to fight for it. Suffer a bit, you know. Nothing comes free. This dream of yours, are you willing to fight for it, suffer for it?"

He didn't wait for an answer, instead he turned and began walking back up the beach.

Kagome sat up a bit and turned to see where he was going.

At that moment, Inuyasha jumped out of the tree line, over the car, and landed by her.

"Where were you?" he asked without preamble, obviously worried.

Kagome looked over at Myoga who waved as he climbed in the car and drove off. How did he know, was all she could think as she turned back to Inuyasha.

"Miroku just told me you were leaving." he said, checking her over for injuries. "You know you're in danger, why would you do that?"

"Myoga wanted to take me out." Kagome sat up on her elbows and watched Inuyasha.

"So you went?" he asked incredulously. "What part of 'you're in danger' aren't you understanding."

"I'm sorry." Kagome leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck as she buried her face in the crook of it. "I'm sorry."

"K-Kagome?" he was confused but he put a hand around her waist to support her weight.

"I'm really sorry." she repeated, not entirely sure exactly what it was she was apologizing for.

"Hey? What's wrong?" he leaned her back a bit so he could see her face.

Instead of giving an answer, Kagome leaned up and kissed him.

Inuyasha didn't resist. However, even as he responded, moving his lips with hers, she could feel the hesitation, the confusion.

She let her weight fall back, telling him silently what she wanted.

He let her lay back on the sand again, following her willingly.

She pressed his weight down on hers, as much as he allowed. His immense weight was much higher than a normal man's, so he kept most of it off of her. However, he let some of it press her down and it was a nice feeling, having a man's weight on her.

A man's weight, she thought with a bit of a smile. A real man.

"Kagome, wha-" he started as he leaned back but she put a finger to his lips, stopping him.

He kissed the finger making her smile.

"Inuyasha, tell me you love me." she said.

Not quite understanding what was up with her, he answered obligingly, "I love you. I really do."

Kagome closed her eyes and let the glorious words wash over her like the waves just a few inches from her feet.

He waited patiently, not moving or speaking.

She opened her eyes again, and he was surprised at the light that shone out of them. It was a light he hadn't seen in a long time.

Happiness.

Real and true happiness. The kind that made you laugh, that made you sing, that kept you smiling through out the day.

"I love you, too." she responded at last, lifting one of her hands and stroking the base of his ears.


	25. Log 24

**Log 24**

Inuyasha growled low in his chest appreciatively as he half closed his eyes.

However, her rubbing his ears didn't stop the overwhelming joy at her words from bubbling over in his heart.

She told him she loved him before. Before this last year or so, she used to tell him that all the time, every day.

But those same words here, now, held a completely different meaning for both of them.

And it was wonderful.

He lowered his lips back down to hers, kissing her softly as he ran his free hand up her side, caressing the curves of her body.

The spark of arousal was instantaneous and powerful.

He wasn't sure exactly where this had come from so suddenly, but he wasn't about to question it. Having her here, in his arms, was all he ever wanted. She was the center of his world and making her happy was what he lived to do, what he was created to do.

It should have felt weird, should have been odd, but letting him stroke her skin as he lifted her shirt over her head was so natural, so easy, she wondered why she had never done it before.

Kagome knew his body as well as, if not better than, her own. However, after taking off his shirt, it was still exciting and a bit of adventure to run her fingers down the steel like muscles that jumped just a bit at the touch of her skin on his.

Over head, a gull called and a wave at their feet reached up high enough to splash against their shins.

But both of them were so absorbed in the other, they neither noticed or cared.

Inuyasha felt himself overwhelmed by the feelings flowing through his body. Since his creation, he had had a few moments when he thought that life just couldn't get any better. A few of those had just been being able to wake up with his arms around Kagome, his head on her belly, listing to the flow of blood and beat of her heart. There was no scent quite like hers and it could calm even his most dark of moods.

However, he had not as yet experienced physical pleasure.

His hands, to his dismay, became a little shaky. He tried to stop them, tried to look competent and sure.

But he just couldn't stop the sudden rush of insecurity.

Sango told him that women liked knowing their partner knew what they were doing, but the simple fact was, he didn't. He wanted to please her, he just didn't know how.

As if she could sense where his thoughts had gone, or maybe she just felt his shaky hands, Kagome stopped kissing him, took his hands in hers, and kissed his finger tips.

"Don't be so nervous." she smiled at him.

"I just..." he hesitated. He really would rather not tell her he had no idea what he was doing.

But he really didn't need to.

"Calm down." she cradled his hands to her chest. "Let me teach you."

She lifted a hand and applied a little bit of pressure to his shoulder. Inuyasha couldn't be moved by her if she tried, however, he gave her what she wanted and followed the push so that he rolled over. She followed him and ended up straddling his waist.

He looked up at her.

The sun was behind her, creating a halo of light that surrounded her, like she was angel created just for him come down from the heavens to bring light and love into his life.

Inuyasha's eyes never strayed from her as Kagome began swaying slightly to the music of the beach. She reached behind her and unhooked her bra.

She was no virgin, she had had sex with a man before. That didn't stop her hands from shaking just a bit too.

The fact was that this was going to be nothing like sleeping with any regular old guy.

Making love with a man you loved never was.

And the cold truth of it was, she was nervous.

Inuyasha was, in her eyes, perfection. The culmination of everything she had ever striven for. How exactly did you go about loving a man like that?

Slowly and carefully, she decided as she tossed the garment away.

"Like this." she whispered, words that almost blew away on the breeze.

Moving so as not to frighten him, she reached down and took his hands back in hers. Then she lifted them up and placed them on her chest.

The look in his eyes was so intense Kagome was sure she was about to melt under their gaze.

For a moment, he didn't move. His hands on her bare skin, kept there by her own hands.

Then, he did move.

He flicked one thumb gently across the peak of her breast.

Inuyasha watched carefully as the movement made Kagome bite her bottom lip. He did it again with the other hands and was rewarded with a deep intake of breath as she tilted her head back a bit and let her eyes close.

She was giving him permission to do as he wished, learn as he moved.

And Inuyasha considered himself a great student.

As he began caressing the sensitive flesh, her hands slowly dropped away, her chest pushing into his grasp.

Moving just as carefully as she had, waiting for her to, at any moment, stop him, he released her breasts. One hand traveled down her waist, around her back, and held her still as the other pushed his torso up.

He remembered his lessons, Sango's, Myoga's, and online's, as he sucked one nipple into his mouth and began playing with the erect nub with deft flicks of his tongue.

Without noticing it, Kagome began moving her hips, grinding against the bulge in his pants. The movement caused a deeper rumble of appreciation in Inuyasha's chest. Then her hands were back in his hair, back to rubbing his ears. The movement both relaxed and tensed his muscles. It made him crave more, need more.

He switched his attention to her other breast, not one to neglect any part of his beloved's happiness.

She moaned his name, softly, almost unheard. But it lit a fire in his belly that was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

His love for this woman made his heart soar, his stomach swoop, and his entire mind giddy with joy.

Being sure he didn't move too fast so he didn't alarm or hurt her, Inuyasha lifted her a bit and turned them again so she was laying flat on her back.

He kissed his way up her chest, across her collar bone, pausing to take a deep breath of her scent at the curve of her neck, before tracing her jawline with his lips and finally returning to hers.

They kissed like they would never get to again, enjoying every sensation, every moment, and drawing it out as long as possible.

Kagome paused for air first, and when she did, Inuyasha kissed his way back down. He stopped to kiss the curvature of her breasts, before continuing down the flat expanse of her belly. He lingered around her belly button, letting his tongue lap around the edges.

Kagome had no idea that area was so sensitive, she thought as her back arched a bit. Inuyasha took that opportunity to run his fingers up the valley of her back, worshiping each area of skin he could find.

With each move, he took note of what spiked the scent of arousal coming from her body. Every time her muscles bunched or jumped, he repeated what he had just done to see what caused it.

Her knees bent of their own volition, trapping his body between her legs as her hands buried themselves in his hair. She was trying to keep applying that delicious touch to his ears.

But Inuyasha didn't really care for his own satisfaction at the moment.

All that mattered, all that ever mattered, was the woman who mewed, twisted, and gasped at his touch.

He had never done this before, but he was a fast learner.

When he was done with her belly, he had as much time as he wanted to learn more later, he started to creep later.

Kagome stopped him this time with her hands grabbing his shoulders.

He looked up curiously, wondering why she hesitated. Was this something he wasn't supposed to do? He had thought it felt really good.

"Later." she explained, pulling gently. He followed the direction of her hands, allowing her to pull him back up her body.

She pressed his lips back to hers, this time letting her hands move around his body.

He kept his own in the sand, keeping the majority of his weight off of her as he let her explore to her hearts content.

She knew it well, that didn't mean she didn't enjoy it.

Each ridge, every bulge was everything she had ever imagined it could be. And still it was amazing, almost a surprise, to feel the living muscle react to her fingers.

Then she came up a scar, a mass of torn and healed flesh, on his side.

"What's this?" she couldn't help but ask as she ran her hands over it. There had been no scar on his perfect body the last time she had seen it, and the bullet that had hit him so long ago left no such mark.

"Knife fight." he explained. "Initiation into a gang I joined at one point. Their fists didn't really do much damage so they picked up weapons instead."

"You were in a gang?" Kagome looked up at him in horror.

"I got out." he said in his own defense. "Besides, everything healed in less than an hour."

"Inuyasha..." she started.

"Do you really want to have this conversation now?" he cut her off gently before she could get started. To remind her, as if she could forget, he pushed his hips into the valley of her thighs.

Kagome moaned a bit and said again, "Later."

"Later." he agreed with her as he went back to kissing her. She tasted like milk and honey, pure and sweet. Their tongues danced together as he removed their jeans without looking. He pushed their pants and underwear off without once breaking contact with her mouth.

Then their bodies were finally bare to each other, warmth poured between them as skin brushed against skin, flesh pressed against flesh.

She wrapped on leg around his, silently urging him forward as her fingers traced the rock hard contours of his back.

Inuyasha took her head in his hands, stopped kissing her and leaned back just enough so he could look her in the eye.

And he watched the ecstasy come into her face as he pushed forward, piercing her body with his and wrapping himself in liquid heat.

Without conscious thought, he began rocking his hips, seeking that higher pleasure he instinctively knew lay just beyond this.

Her body moved in time with his, matching his rhythm and pace.

The tide splashed up against them, wetting their bodies but even the fresh ocean couldn't cool the heat that lit them up.

Inuyasha trailed one hand down her body, grasping as her leg, giving himself a sort of lever, pushing inside her deeper. The long, deep strokes had Kagome moaning and digging her nails into his back.

He groaned, but more from the pleasure at joining his body with hers than any pain he didn't even feel from her nails.

Their bodies, made for each other, knew this dance. A dance as old as time, beautiful and sensual.

Exotic yet familiar.

Hidden but known to all the world.

Like the waves that lapped at their legs, the peak came to them.

All at once, almost without warning, Kagome's body spasmed, her back arched clear from the sand, and all the breath left her in a rush as her climax overtook her senses.

Her core rippled around Inuyasha, urging him on.

He didn't last much longer, a few strokes later and he was there.

His mind blanked, his muscles tensed, and he froze above her.

The sweet meeting of bodies, melding of souls, and joining hearts had them trapped in a bubble in which the entire world melted away.

At that moment, nothing mattered.

At that moment, there was nothing to worry about.

For that one moment, the world was perfect.


	26. Log 25

**Log 25**

"Kanna, I'm disappointed with your lack of results." Kikyo growled into the phone. "I was sure by now, I would have Kagome back. Now, do you have a plan?"

"Yes." Kanna said simply, soothing Kikyo's anger.

"Good." Kikyo smiled as she sat back in the poolside chair at her mansion. "Do you need anything?"

"Kagura." she answered.  
>"She'll be there." Kikyo sighed happily. "Ah, life is so nice today. Probably has something to do with Yura not being here. It's a lot quieter."<p>

Kanna didn't respond.

"They have her, you know." Kikyo continued. Kanna was nice to talk to as she didn't talk back. "Doesn't matter though. Yura wont tell them anything. She likes torture. Kind of strange, but who am I to question other people's weird fetishes? We'll get her back eventually. No need to end her fun too early, she won't thank us for that.

"You're a good listener, Kanna." Kikyo smiled to no one. "Now get back to work. I want that girl."

She hung up without waiting for Kanna to respond and relaxed, letting the sun beams caress her bare skin.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You okay, Miroku?" Sango asked, kind of worried as she sat on Miroku's desk. "You've been out of it, all day."

"Huh?" Miroku looked up from his computer screen. He hadn't been working on it, in fact the screen was black and the computer was asleep.

He just couldn't bring his mind off of what his bosses wanted from him.

"You just proved my point." Sango laughed a bit.

"Shouldn't you be interviewing, Yura?" he sat back in his chair, trying to focus on her. Her ass looked really good in those jeans.

"She's sleeping off the first round of the drugs." Sango shrugged as she began tracing pointless circles on the desktop. "I have to wait a little while until I give her more and talk to her again. Kagome was real nice to make that stuff. Especially since she hates playing with science these days."

"Yeah..." Miroku looked away.

"What was that?" Sango narrowed her eyes at him.

"What?" He turned back to her.

"Every time I sit on your desk, you look at my ass until I get off." she crossed her arms. "You never once look away. What is going on that you aren't telling me?"

"Nothing." Miroku shrugged. "Just...a bit stressed from packing everything up for our retirement." It wasn't completely a lie.

"Yeah." she agreed but he could tell that she didn't believe him. "Miroku, we're friends, right?"

"Of course." he wondered at the sudden change of subject.

"I don't just mean us." Sango continued. "I meant all of us. Kagome and Inuyasha, too. We're all friends, right?"

"Yes." Miroku agreed.

"So, you know if you had a problem, you could come to us? Right?" she smiled a bit.

Miroku smiled back. "Yeah. I know."

"We all want the same thing, Miroku." Sango jumped off his desk. "If you need anything, we're all here for each other."

She winked and turned to leave his office.

"You know I watch your ass as you leave too, right?" Miroku asked.

Sango shook it a bit as she closed the door behind her, making him laugh.

His smile only lasted a few seconds after she was gone before it faded again.

He didn't want to do this. He hated to ask.

And, to be honest, he would hate himself if he actually made it happen.

Then again, if he didn't, they would probably not live to leave Japan.

He made his decision.

It was the only option he had.

This was the world of shadows, after all. Sometimes, you just had to do what you had to do.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kagome laughed delightedly as the waves came up and crashed against their bodies.

Inuyasha had Kagome sitting between his legs, as they let the waves splash upon them like children. At one point, they had dressed but their clothes were soaked through now, neither of them cared.

The sun was close to setting, their day together was close to ending. And now they were just enjoying their final moments to be alone.

"So, where should we go first on our boat trip?" Kagome asked.

"Anywhere." Inuyasha said into her ear.

He had his arms around her waist, keeping her close. His chin was on her shoulder and every now and then she would turn her face so get a kiss.

"I kind of always wanted to visit Hawaii." she admitted.

"Then we'll go to Hawaii." he promised. "Hawaii, Mexico, Brazil, Africa, Europe. Everywhere."

"Do you think we'll ever come back here, to Japan?" Kagome wondered.

"Do you want to?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome shrugged. "It's where my family is, so maybe someday. Maybe I should send mom postcards from everywhere we go. Wouldn't that be fun?"

Inuyasha nodded, brushing his mouth across her neck. Which distracted him and he began devoting himself to nibbling and suckling on the delicate flesh there.

Kagome let him at it for a while without comment.

Then, as she sun was about halfway down in the sky, she said, "We have to go back. We still have work to do before we can go."

Inuyasha mumbled an agreement in the back of his throat but didn't stop caressing her skin.

"Hey, enough of that." Kagome pushed him off gently and stood up. "We really do have to get back."

"Later." Inuyasha nodded, following her and standing up as well. "Soon, but later."

"Impatient." Kagome laughed. "Come on. Let's get back."

"Actually, let's go home." he said, turning around and kneeling in front of her.

Kagome climbed onto his back, their wet clothes sticking them to each other.

"Home sounds good too." she sighed happily. She barely had to adjust herself against him. Their shapes just melded together perfectly.

Made for one another.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, Myoga." Kagome sat beside the old man. He had been watching TV when Kagome and Inuyasha had come back home. Besides one knowing and loving smile he flashed at them real quick, he acted as if nothing had changed.

Kagome scrapped together a quick dinner, they ate together like a real family, and Kagome and Inuyasha did the dishes together. Every time their hands would meet, Kagome would blush like a school girl and Inuyasha would wink at her, a promise for things to come.

"I don't know what you could be referring to." Myoga smiled as he turned off the TV. "Well, best be getting ready for bed. Try not to keep me awake, you two!" he called back to them as he left the living room and shut the door to his own room.

Kagome laughed without embarrassment as Inuyasha came up behind her on the couch and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Yes, lover?" Kagome smiled adoringly at him as her hands came up and rested on his arms.

Was there anything so perfect as being held by the man you loved and who loved you in return? Kagome certainly couldn't think of one.

"Nothing. Just wanted to hold you." he nuzzled her shoulder, relishing in the feel of her skin sliding against his.

Kagome leaned back against him. "Inuyasha...Do you ever regret anything I did to you?"

Inuyasha blinked, not sure he understood the question. "What do you mean?"

"I mean when you were younger." Kagome peeled his arms off her and stood up, turned to face him. "I kept you locked up, I treated you like...like an experiment."

"I am an experiment." Inuyasha said simply, confused.

"No, you're a person." Kagome frowned. "You're a person the same as me or Myoga or Miroku. I treated you like a lab rat."

"I don't understand why you're upset about this." Inuyasha walked around the couch and pulled her back into his embrace. "I wouldn't be here without you. The truth of it is that I _am_ an experiment. I'm a freak of nature, an oddity, and a curiosity."

"You are not." Kagome said automatically.

"But I don't mind." Inuyasha smiled. "I am what I am. If I can accept that, I'm pretty sure you can."

"But what I did was wrong!" Kagome insisted. "People shouldn't toy with life so carelessly and I did! I _am_ Doctor Frankenstein!"

"I don't understand that reference." Inuyasha said.

"He was a horrible, horrible person." Kagome frowned. "He toyed with life too and he made something that ended up miserable and full of hatred!"

"I still don't quite understand." Inuyasha frowned a bit as he made a mental note to look up Doctor Frankenstein later. "But I'm quite happy and I'm certainly not full of hatred."

"You're happy _now_ but-"

"Did the Doctor fall in love with his creation?" Inuyasha cut her off swiftly. He had to get rid of this guilt before it ate her up inside.

"No." Kagome admitted. "He...he kind of abandoned it."

"You didn't abandon me." Inuyasha pointed out. "You fell in love with me." he squeezed her a bit, reminding her where she was. "You don't regret making me." It wasn't a question.

Kagome opened her mouth to say something but he stopped her by putting a finger on her lips.

"You don't regret making me." It was a command this time. "I certainly regret nothing."

"Even in this situation we're in now?" Kagome couldn't help but ask.

"Especially now." he smiled. "No matter what happens to us, where we go or how we get there, I've enjoyed every moment of this. I wouldn't change a thing."

Kagome finally smiled, just a little bit, but it was enough for now.

"Come on." Kagome stepped back, took his hand in hers and began leading him towards their room.

"It's later?" he asked.

"It's later." she nodded happily.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, Kanna." Kagura joined her elder sister on the rooftop of the building she preferred. "Her royal pain in my butt said you needed me for something." It was dark out, so Kanna didn't have to worry about being outside.

Instead of answering her, Kanna responded by lifting her hand and pointing.

Kagura followed her movement and her mouth opened in a silent 'O' of understanding. "So that's your game, huh? What are you waiting for then?"

"The right moment." Kanna had an infinite supply of patience. Being allergic to sunlight meant she could only come out at night once the sun was well and truly down. That gave her a window of only a few hours a day for that right moment to come. But when it did, she would be ready.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naraku only had a small window of opportunity.

He watched with only a few small fits of impatience for that one moment to come. He was ready, he had everything all prepared. All he needed was that one final piece then he would prove to her, to everyone!, who the smartest really was.

He just had to wait for that one, right moment.


	27. Log 26

**Log 26**

"Hey, Kagome?" Miroku poked his head into her lab. "What you doing?"

Kagome looked up from her lab table. In front of her was a beaker of water and an empty metal try. "Hey, Miroku." she smiled at him. "Nothing much. Thought I would play around with some high school science. Might inspire me again."

"With water?" he couldn't help but ask as he walked in and came up behind her.

Kagome smiled, picked up the beaker by it's handle, and began pouring it into the pan. It instantly solidified when it hit the pan.

Miroku laughed. "I remember that stuff! My science teacher did that once."

"Sodium acetate dissolved in boiling water." Kagome explained by force of habit as she built the hot ice sculpture up and up until she ran out of liquid.

She sighed as she put the beaker back down. "Nope, still not inspired."

Miroku's smile slipped a little. "It must suck to hate something you love so much."

"It's not that I hate it, exactly." Kagome tried to explain. "I'm just...tired of it. Like if you eat nothing but fried chicken for a year. It doesn't matter how much you love the taste, eventually you're going to just...not."

Miroku hesitated, for just a moment, then gathered his courage and blurted, "Kagome, I need a favor."

Kagome turned at the odd sound in his voice. "What kind of favor?"

"Kagome, you will have everything you need." he hedged. "Just ask and it will be given to you. And I really need you to listen. I need...I need you to make another hybrid. Now, it will-"

"No!" Kagome screeched immediately as she jumped to her feet.

"Kagome, listen-"

"NO! No, no, no!" she stomped around him.

"Kagome!" Miroku tried again as he followed her as she walked around her lab, slamming things around. "I really need you to li-"

"Forget it!" Kagome snapped as she turned to glare at him. "How could you even ask me?"

"Just listen!" Miroku yelled over her. He really needed her to understand.

"The answer is no!" she insisted, turning away from him again as she began to clean up her ice experiment. "Absolutely, unequivocally, unconditionally; no!"

"You don't even-" he tried to start.

"No!" she cut him off. "I am never, ever, EVER!, again making another hybrid. I can't believe you even thought to ask me."

"It's not me." he defended himself. "It's my bosses. They want one!"

"Then tell them to write to Santa because I'm not making them one." she growled.

"Kagome-"

"And if you keep pressing the issue," she turned to glare at him, "there's a good chance that I'm going to inject you with something that will render you impotent or worse."

"That's low." Miroku winced.

"No." she snarled, nearly at tears. "Low is asking me to do this when you know how I feel about it."

She tried to walk around him, but he grabbed her arm and kept her there.

"Just! Listen!" he said deliberately. "I need you to understand."

Kagome kept up her glare but said nothing to stop him.

Ten minutes later, with a sigh, she said, "Fine."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Get away from me!" Yura screamed as she tried to struggled away from the needle Sango brandished towards her. Torture was one thing, but apparently she really didn't like being forced to talk with drugs.

"Shut up." Sango said mercilessly as she stuck the needle into her arm and injected her with the truth drug.

Yura struggled for a few more seconds as her eyes began drooping. She fought to stay conscious, fought to resist the medicine. But before a minute was up, her head was lolling on her chest.

"She's loud." Kagome said as Yura finally fell silent.

"See what we've been dealing with?" Sango laughed as she and Inuyasha joined Kagome.

She had walked into their cell carrying a stand and chair. Without talking to them, she set them both up and put a set of needles, vials, and labels on the stand.

"So, you going to tell us what this is?" Sango asked as they waited for Yura to wake up again so they could begin questioning her.

"I need blood." Kagome smiled. "Standard blood test. Sango? You first?"

Kagome pulled on a pair of gloves and waited for Sango to approach her.

"You're kidding, right?" she asked instead.

"No." Kagome shook her head, still smiling. "I need to make sure none of us have any major diseases before we leave Japan. I'm probably going to give everyone immunizations too."

"I hate scientists." Sango grumbled as she grabbed a chair and sat beside Kagome.

Kagome cleaned the vein in the crook of Sango's elbow, grabbed the special needle that connected to a sort of bowl. Test tubes were put into the plastic bowl-like end then the blood was sent from the needle and into the test tube. And when Kagome removed the tube, the blood wouldn't come squirting from the needle.

Besides a slight jump when Kagome put the needle in, Sango didn't say anything as Kagome filled three vials, took the needle out, and put some gauze and tape over the small puncture.

"Thanks." Kagome smiled. "Inuyasha, you next."

"Me?" he asked, a bit surprised. "Kagome, I'm immune to diseases."

"You're immune to all the diseases we exposed you to in the lab." she corrected as she beckoned him to sit in the seat that Sango just vacated. "And you've been out of the lab for a while now. I don't know if you've become a carrier of anything or how you'll react to major diseases not native to Japan. Now get over here."

Kagome did need to perform blood tests but Inuyasha was right. They had spent a good portion of their time in the lab exposing him to everything they could get their hands on. If biological warfare broke out, Inuyasha was the only person alive who wouldn't have to worry. He simply didn't contract diseases.

But Kagome needed his blood and she would rather not tell him why. She could do it without his blood, but doing what Miroku asked of her would be so much easier if she could just start from his blood than start from scratch.

Part of her still resisted doing this, even though she understood now what it was Miroku wanted. But, as Myoga said, sometimes you had to suffer to be happy.  
>"Alright." Inuyasha shrugged as he sat down.<p>

Since normal needles didn't pierce Inuyasha's skin, collecting blood samples from Inuyasha was just a little but tougher.

Kagome picked up a scalpel, cut open the the vein on his arm with it, then stuck a small tube into the vein before his skin could heal it.

By the time Kagome collected four vials of blood, cut out the tube, and his arms healed, Yura was coming to.

"That looked painful." Sango flinched in pity.

"Wasn't too bad." Inuyasha, used to having that happen when his blood needed drawn, flexed the newly healed skin.

"Thank you." Kagome smiled as she packed everything up. "I will be in the lab."

"Bye." Sango waved her off as she scurried from the room. "She was lying, you know that right."

"I know." he shrugged. "She'll tell me when she's ready. Alright, let's get back to work."

XXXXXXXXXX

"_Good job, Miroku."_ Miroku's boss praised him through the webcam. "_We knew we could count on you. How long will we have to wait to get the hybrid?"_

"She told me she would have it ready by the time we're ready to leave." Miroku promised. "You'll have to raise it yourself, but all the creation will be done relatively soon."

"_Very good."_ Miroku could practically hear the satisfaction coming from the guy's every pore. _"You've delivered, so we'll let you and your friends leave. You've done well, Miroku."_

The screen cut out and Miroku let out a breath of relief.

There, it was done.

He had to rely on Kagome now. She knew what she was doing and he had faith she would deliver exactly what they needed. All he had to do now was wait and know that Kagome wouldn't let him down.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Alright." Sango said, looking over their notes as they left the cell Yura was sleeping off the drug in. "That's the third interview. What do you say science boy, do we got enough?"

Inuyasha went through the three separate interviews in which they asked Yura the same questions. They were getting consistent answers which was good. "Uh, let's do it maybe once more. Unless your worried about Yura's health."

"Last thing on my mind." Sango assured him. "I am a bit worried about Miroku though."

"What about him?" Inuyasha asked.

"Hasn't he been acting kinda...odd?" Sango wondered. "I think something is bothering him that he doesn't want us to worry about."

"Then don't worry about it." Inuyasha smiled. "If it's bad, he'll tell us."

"It's just...he starts acting weird, then Kagome starts lying." Sango tried to think it through. "It just doesn't seem right to me. I think they're both hiding something. Maybe the same something."

"If it's bad, they'll tell us." Inuyasha repeated. "And we can deal with it when it comes."

"You're a little too confidant." Sango bit her lip. "You are pretty much unbeatable, but you're not indestructible. You can be hurt, it just takes a bit more effort than normal. I know there are situations that not even you can get out of."

"You worry too much." Inuyasha put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her comfortingly. "Thing's will be fine. It might get bad, but we'll get through it."

"You don't worry enough." Sango rolled her eyes but she smiled. "But, I was actually going to ask if you wanted to spy on them or something."

"Tempting, but I can't." Inuyasha laughed. "I have to go home. Myoga needs my help. Someone broke into our place again. I got to track them down and scare the hell out of them."

"Ooh, that sounds fun too." Sango smiled. "Can I join? I can be terrifying."

"Oh, why not?" Inuyasha chuckled. "But we have to stop and pick Kagome up first. If I'm going home, I might as well take her with me and drop her off before tracking the guys down."

Laughing and talking, Inuyasha and Sango walked to the basement towards Kagome's door.

But stopped when they reached it.

"'Don't enter, hazardous material'." Sango read. "Didn't she say it was just a blood test?"

"It might be my blood she's working with." Inuyasha said doubtfully.

"Your blood is hazardous?" Sango looked at his funny.

"No." Inuyasha shook his head. "But she might be doing some weird tests with it."

"Should we go in anyway?" Sango considered that or knocking.

"No." Inuyasha sighed. "If Kagome says not to enter, we shouldn't enter. She might be working with something really dangerous. Though I have no idea what."

"Can you smell anything?" Sango asked.

Inuyasha took a few quick sniffs then shook his head. "Nope. She might be working in a sealed room. Best not to disturb her."

"Does she plan on staying her all night?" Sango and Inuyasha turned and began walking away.

"Maybe." Inuyasha took one last look at the door then turned back. "But she's tired of science. Why is she working so hard at it?"

"She might be exposing your blood to ebola or something." Sango laughed, joking.

"Nah, I've already been exposed to all major diseases." Inuyasha said offhandedly.

"Leaving that creepy statement to one side," Sango said dully, "didn't you just say not to worry about stuff like this. They would tell us when they're ready."

"I was referring to Miroku, not Kagome." Inuyasha laughed. "I worry about her automatically. But, you're right. She'll tell me when she's ready. Until then, ready to go scar a bunch of criminals for life?"

"Woo!" Sango cheered enthusiastically.


	28. Log 27

**Log 27**

"Are you don't yet?" Miroku asked impatiently as he hovered over Kagome's shoulder.

In all the time he had known her, Kagome had never actually looked like a scientist. For the first time, he was actually seeing her as one.

She had pulled her hair back into a tight bun so that a single hair didn't escape her head, had on a pair of goggles, a face mask, gloves, even a lab coat.

And she was working through a pair of thick, black, plastic arms that let her work inside of a sealed box.

Miroku had asked why the environment needed to be sterile if the very cells of Inuyasha's being were pretty much resistant to everything.

Kagome told him to shut up, she was concentrating, and to go away.

He had listened to half of that.

Now, an hour later, he was just watching was she did with fascination. And a little impatience.

"Shut up and let me work." she said distractedly. He could tell he didn't even have a portion of her attention.

"You said with Inuyasha's blood to jump start everything, this would be easy." Miroku sighed.

"Sorry, when I said 'easy' I meant it as a relative term." Kagome would have rolled her eyes if she could. This part was the hardest. If she didn't get this just right, if this one part went wrong, then the entire thing would fall apart on them and they would pay with their lives. "Go away, I'm almost done."

"You said that yesterday." Miroku pointed out. "And you haven't slept in like...two. Maybe you should-"

"Scram." Kagome cut him off. "You wanted this fast, right?"

"Yeah, but I also don't want you to kill yourself doing it." Miroku sighed. "Inuyasha would kill me before I had a chance to explain what we're doing."

"Please." she snorted. "I stayed awake for over a week while making him. There was a point when I didn't dare blink because I was afraid his cellular structure would collapse or Naraku would come to dip him in bleach."

He smiled and asked, "Worth it?"

"Worth it." Kagome smiled a bit. Then frowned. "Now go away, I need to focus!"

"Yeah, yeah." Miroku stood to leave. "Just remember, if you don't set this to happen at the right time, we're dead."

"Out!" Kagome snapped. "Don't tell me how to do my job."

"Alright. Alright." Miroku shut the door and was surprised to come face to face with Inuyasha. "Hey."

"What were you doing in there?" Inuyasha asked, his eyes darting to the hazardous material sign that still hung on the door.

"Just..." Miroku fumbled for an excuse, "..asking...about...uh...so, you done with Yura?"

"No." Inuyasha's eyes narrowed at Miroku's behavior. "She changed her answers the other day, we wanted to do a few more sessions to make sure the anomaly didn't continue."

"Oh, good. Has it?" Miroku started walking away, trying to get Inuyasha away as well.

After a few darting glances at the door and a couple hesitant steps, Inuyasha followed him. "No. She went back to her first answers. I think Sango gave her too much of the drug and she started mixing fact and fantasy. Why where you in Kagome's lab?"

"Don't worry about it." Miroku waved the question aside. "Just...making sure she was okay. She hasn't been out of there in a while."

"Right." Inuyasha's narrowed gaze turned into a full out glare. He thought he could handle all this secret keeping. He trusted both of them, after all. But, as it turned out, this was extremely annoying. He wanted to know! "But-"

"So, you going home?" Miroku cut him off, changing the subject again. He could tell that Inuyasha wasn't happy that he did.

"No." Inuyasha growled. "I was planning on staying here tonight and waiting for Kagome."

"Right outside her lab?" Miroku asked, a bit worried. He didn't personally care if Inuyasha knew what was happening. It was Kagome that didn't want to tell him what she was up to. When he asked why, she flushed a little, told him to shut up, go away, and let her work. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"I was actually going to question a conscious Yura." Inuyasha grumbled. "To see what she says about the same set of questions. I have nothing else to do."

"Yeah, yeah. Sure. Sounds good." Miroku smiled innocently. "I think I'll go get some work done in my office."

Inuyasha watched him walk away, glaring at his back as he went. He didn't like all these secrets, he decided. Once he was done talking to Yura, he was going to march right down to Kagome's lab and demand to be told what was going on.

Happy with that plan, he turned to walk to Yura's cell.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Anything?" Kagura asked, bored. She and Kanna had been waiting for days for that right moment. But it just kept alluding them.

"No." Kanna said emotionlessly.

"Really?" Kagura jumped up, excited. She ran over to the edge of the roof and looked across to the building and grinned. "You're right! This is great! They aren't here."

"Go." Kanna ordered.

"Gladly." Kagura turned to go get their prize.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kagome was glad it was quiet again.

She knew why she was doing this, and it wasn't the same as before. But, all the same, it hurt her heart to go through these familiar steps.

She steeled her will as she put the final mixture into the last test tube.

This was it, she was almost done. Just one last thing.

Kagome opened the sterile box, reached in, and pulled out the test tube. The semi-liquid contents were clear, and the being inside was so tiny that she couldn't even see it.

She kissed the outside of the tube through her face mask. It wasn't the same as Inuyasha, but it was the last hybrid she would ever make.

Being careful not the jostle the tube, Kagome walked across the lab to a large glass orb. Inside, being warmed by a sophisticated machine that was designed to keep the contents at exactly body temperature, was the simulated womb.

It didn't look a thing like a womb, there was no epithelial anything about it. It was basically all the nutrition and growing base that the thing would need.

Kagome had to walk up a step ladder to reach the top of the orb, opened it up, then pulled a special syringe out of her pocket.

The 'needle' was actually a tube about the size of headphone wire but it was sturdy and unmovable.

Being careful not to harm the being inside the tube, Kagome slowly sucked everything into the syringe.

She turned the syringe over, moved it to the orb, then injected the creature inside of it into the orb.

She closed the orb, stepped down, and stepped back to look at it.

Inuyasha had done his premature growing from a double celled organism in a test tube. His entire batch did. If the cellular structure broke down, there was no point in putting it into a simulated womb.

But this wasn't a batch, it was just one. And it would grow inside of this womb.

Kagome took off her gloves, mask, and goggles, and went over to the orb. She placed both hands on the surface and laid her head against it.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I'm so glad I don't have to stand on that roof any more." Kagura smiled as she drove through the streets.

Kanna was in the passenger seat, quiet.

Their 'prize' was in the back groaning and struggling against the bonds.  
>"Aren't you happy you can finally sleep in a real bed?" Kagura asked but, as predicted, Kanna didn't respond. "Are you ever happy about anything?"<p>

"No." Kanna said simply.

"I'm not-hey!" Kagura let her hands off the wheel as the steering wheel suddenly started turning for itself. "What is this?"

Kanna looked at it, uncaring.

A familiar laugh came over the speakers then Naraku's face flashed onto the GPS.

"Naraku!" Kagura glared as the car swerved completely out of her control. "What are you doing?"

"_You two are my creations._" he answered darkly. "_I can do whatever I want with you. You have served your purpose. Time to die."_

Kagure screamed and tried to get control of the wheel, but whatever Naraku had done had taken control of the car from her and she could do nothing to stop the vehicle from plowing into the tree.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You understand, right?" Kagome asked the thing inside the orb. Not like it could hear her, or would understand even if it could. It didn't even have brain matter forming yet. And even when it did...

"I'm sorry I have to do this to you." Kagome kissed the glass of the orb. "You aren't like Inuyasha, so you wont care even if you know. I guess, I can say that it will be over before you know it."

The lab was quiet. And Kagome knew, even as she watched, that the organism inside was dividing its cells, becoming more and more what Kagome made it.

"And, as strange as it is, I do love you in a way." she kissed the orb again then gave it as much a hug as she could as she started to tear up a bit. "I'm sorry this has to happen to you. I would prevent it if I could, but Miroku is right. This is the only way."

She fell silent then, holding it as best she could.

This poor thing was lucky it would never know the horrors of the world. Still, Kagome hated to do it.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naraku laughed to himself as he opened the back door of the car.

He was still there, bleeding a bit from the forehead, but alive.

Kagura and Kanna were unmoving in the front seats. Naraku had already checked them, neither of their hearts beat. They were definitely dead. But that was fine, they were failures anyway.

And the last thing they gave him was this prize.

Grunting and straining at the effort, Naraku lifted the man up and dragged him from the back seat of the damaged car to the backseat of his car.

He had been right to rig Kagura's car like he did. Gaining control of it through the small adjustments he made in the electrical wiring. It was genius! No one could possibly ever think of it, no one, but him!

He pushed the man into the car, not caring if he hurt him or not, slammed the door and practically danced over to the drivers seat.

Just a bit longer and he would finally prove who the smarter was.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kagome sat on a stool, facing the orb. As usual, while working, she thought of nothing else. Barely noticed her own biological needs. Ate because she had to, drank because it was necessary. It was only after the work was done that she noticed she was tired, hungry, and a bit lonely.

She would kiss the orb again, giving it as much love as she was able. Then she would go grab some food, Inuyasha, then take them both home. They would eat, make love, then go to sleep. And she would wake up with his arms around her, just like always, and maybe she wouldn't feel like such a piece of shit for doing this.

It was a good plan, she thought.

She was just about to hop off her stool to implement it, when her cell phone rang.

Adding, answer phone, to her plan, she picked it up.

It was Myoga, he probably needed more milk or something. Which she could get tomorrow.

Kagome answered it with a yawn, "Hey, Myoga, what's up?"

"_Try again, Kagome_." Naraku's voice filtered through the speaker.

She sat up straight and looked around as if he was right there. "Naraku. Wha-How did you..."

"_Surprise." _the man said, no small amount of triumph in his voice. "_Hope you don't mind. I borrowed the old man's cell phone. I didn't know your number, you understand."_

"What do you want, Naraku?" Kagome asked, a hard feeling sinking in the pit of her stomach.

"_You." _he said simply. _"I want to settle this once and for all."_

"Settle what?" Kagome stood up and was about to run to get Inuyasha.

"_Settle who is smarter of course. And, I would be careful about getting your puppy. You don't want anything bad to happen to this poor old man, do you?"_

Kagome flinched as she heard a groan of pain. "Alright, Alright. Tell me what to do?"

"_Good girl."_ he praised. "_You are a bit smart."_ He told her an address. "_Go there. Come alone. We'll have...a battle of wits. Get here soon, Kagome. Or I might get bored."_

He hung up.

Kagome was already tearing her lab coat off and pulling her hair out of the bun.

Naraku definitely wasn't at the top of his game. There were no camera's at the base, nothing he could hack in to see. There was no way he could know whether or not Inuyasha wasn't already right by her.

He wasn't thinking straight. And, even when he was, Kagome was the smarter.

The problem was, any battle of wits he planned up would probably not be a fair fight.

But she wasn't stupid enough to think he wouldn't hurt Myoga if she brought Inuyasha.

So, being careful to move quietly so any loud noises wouldn't attract any nosy ears, Kagome ran from her lab.

She ran to the garage, jumped into the first car she could. Miroku's, he always kept the keys in the ignition.

She turned the car on and drove from the place, her only thoughts about saving Myoga.

She was so focused, she didn't notice Miroku in the back.

Until he sat up and she saw his reflection in the rear view mirror.

She screamed, he screamed.

Kagome took a deep breath, "What are you doing here?"

"I was taking a nap." Miroku said. "And this is my car. What are you doing in here? Wh-where are we going?"

"Your lucky I don't have time or I would kick you out right here." Kagome glared at him in the mirror.

"Has the lack of sleep finally pushed you over the edge?" Miroku asked as he watched the city zoom by.

No cops would stop them, not in his car. His bosses would make sure of that.

"Naraku has Myoga." Kagome admitted. Miroku wasn't Inuyasha, so hopefully that wouldn't count.

"Damn!" Miroku ran a hand through his hair. Every one had been so worried about Kagome and Miroku already had people guarding her family. But he hadn't considered Myoga!

Damn!


	29. Log 28

**Log 28**

"Have you seen Miroku?" Sango asked, walking into Yura's cell.

"Nope." Inuyasha shook his head.

Yura sat in front of him, not drugged for the first time since they got her. She looked worse for the wear. Her hair was a mess, her face look grungy and pale without make up, and there were deep shadows under her eyes.

"Hmm..." Sango thought for a moment. "He sleeps in his car sometimes, but I checked the garage and it's not there."

"Maybe he went home?" Inuyasha suggested with a shrug.

"Does he have a home?" Sango asked with a laugh. "I always kind of thought he lived here or something."

Inuyasha thought about it and shrugged. He really wasn't sure either.

"I checked on Kagome, too." she continued. "She still has that sign up in her lab so I didn't go in."

"What is she doing in there?" Inuyasha asked rhetorically. "I'm going down there now."

"I'm coming too." Sango smiled. "I'm curious now. I just have to see what she's doing."

"Are you two ever going to let me go?" Yura asked unhappily. Her voice wasn't cloyingly sweet anymore. She just sounded tired and worn out.

"Maybe later." Inuyasha smiled darkly at her as Sango waved and they left the room.

"So, when should we attack?" Inuyasha asked. "Miroku said he got everything with the boat ready. We just got to take down Kikyo then we're gone. I'm ready whenever you are."

"I'm ready anytime." Sango smiled at him. "I can already taste that sweet coconut drink on the beaches of where ever the hell we're going."

Inuyasha chuckled as they climbed down to the basement. "You know I still don't know how to swim? I've never had the chance to learn. I want to learn that. Think Kagome knows how?"

Sango shrugged. "There's a good chance I guess."

"I've always wanted to see the world." Inuyasha admitted as they drew even with her door. "Ever since I left the lab. I can't wait to actually do it."

Sango nodded, smiling, as Inuyasha opened the door.

The first thing he noticed was that Kagome was definitely not there. Even as his nose told him she had already been gone for a while, his eyes were swiveling, searching for her.

"Woh!" Sango noticed the orb first. "What the heck is that?"

Inuyasha hesitated, then followed Sango in as she approached the thing. It was actually pretty large. And it smelled vaguely familiar to him.

"Is this what she's been working on?" Sango ran her hand down the glass. The liquid inside was some kind of pink-orange. It almost looked alive. It was definitely warm. "What is it?"

"It kind of smells...like me." Inuyasha turned away from it to look around.

The many test tubes, half full beakers, and chemicals were extremely familiar.

Almost like...

Even as he tried to think it, Inuyasha just couldn't. Kagome wouldn't create another hybrid. She wouldn't. He trusted her completely, she wouldn't do that.

But more importantly-

"Where is she?" he asked but all Sango could do was shrug.

Inuyasha took a deep breath, searching through all the scents that were pooled in the room. He caught Kagome's easily and was a bit disturbed by the fear that spiked in it, coloring it.

What would scare Kagome here?

"Damn." Inuyasha looked around helplessly.

There was only one person that Kagome was afraid of right now.

"What?"

"Kikyo." Inuyasha growled.

"You can smell her?" Sango asked, alarmed.

Inuyasha shook his head. "No. But who else could it be. She must have found a way to get to her."

"What?" Sango looked confused. "How?"

"Does it matter?" Inuyasha snapped. "We have to go after her. Now!"

"Wait, wait!" Sango jumped in front of him, stopping him. "You can't just go flying off the handle like that. Think this through. How could Kikyo possibly have gotten to Kagome here?"

"It doesn't matter." Inuyasha growled. "I'm going after her now. Are you with me or aren't you?"

Sango hesitated just a moment. "Of course. Of course I'm with you! You want to go take Kikyo down now?"

"Right now!" Inuyasha snarled. "Who else could possibly get Kagome or want to?"

"Alright. Let's go." Sango nodded. She wasn't about to let her partner go out by himself. "Just let me grab a gun and we'll be gone. Don't worry, we'll get Kagome back."

XXXXXXXXXXX  
>Do you even know where you're going?" Miroku asked Kagome as he clambered into the front seat.<p>

"No, I thought I'd just drive around Tokyo and see if I might stumble upon him." Kagome resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It wouldn't be a good idea. Not as reckless as she was driving.

"Alright, alright. Calm down." Miroku placated her. "Does Inuyasha know about this?"

"Of course not." Kagome snapped. "Do you think he would let me do this if he knew?"

"No." Miroku shook his head. "He would try to stop you. Which is exactly what I'm going to do."

"Thanks for the warning." Kagome mumbled as she accidentally sped past the exit she was supposed to take. The other cars on the road were dodging her and she could catch more than a few angry faces and gestures in her rear view mirror.

"Now, tell me what happened." Miroku said calmly. He didn't seem at all worried about her speed and it was his calmness that started to break through, what Kagome just dimly realized was, her haze of panic.

Reminding herself that Naraku hadn't set a time limit, Kagome let up on the accelerator a bit and began reciting her story to Miroku.

She barely got a few words out before he stopped her.

"Wait, you finished? Really?" he interrupted.

"Really." Kagome thought back to the growing hybrid she left in the lab. "It's done. Everything is ready. Now are you going to let me finish?"

"Continue." Miroku motioned with his hands.

Kagome told him what happened and, as if it was venom being sucked from a wound, Kagome began to feel better with each word spoken.

She was still terrified for Myoga, but her famous brain was taking back control of her body and her heartbeat began to revert to its normal speed.

A battle of wits was Naraku said.

Wits.

When it came to brain power, Kagome knew she was superior. Inuyasha was more than proof of that. But she highly doubted a deranged maniac would be satisfied with comparing test scores.

"Have you thought of what Inuyasha will think when he finds out you've gone missing?" Miroku asked when she finished her story."

"If I'm lucky, he wont have noticed." Kagome half prayed. "I've been down in the basement for days. With any luck. That's where he'll think I'll be."

"Which brings me to my next point." Miroku glared. "You are a scientist, you're not a field agent. You shouldn't be out doing this."

"Naraku said battle of wits." Kagome reminded him. "He may be stupid compared to me but he's still pretty smart. Do you know of anyone else that can go against him?"

Miroku opened his mouth but not sound came out. The truth was, he didn't.

"I didn't think so." Kagome nodded, satisfied. "Besides, he specifically told me to come. I don't think he'd be all that pleased with a substitute."

"Still, you should let Inuyasha handle this." Miroku went back to his first argument. "Isn't that why you made him? To deal with situations like this. You can't do this."

"I can so!" Kagome snapped as the frustration of the last few weeks of complete uselessness crept up on her and overwhelmed her without warning. "Believe it or not, there was a time in my life before Inuyasha and I handled myself pretty well."

"That's not what I meant." Miroku tried to say but she raised her voice over his.

"Furthermore, I did not make Inuyasha to deal with my problems!" she jerked the wheel to the side without warning, sending Miroku flying into his window as her anger made the speedometer on the car begin to creep up again. "I actually thought I was doing good when I made him. It may sound cliché, but it really seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Calm down." Miroku growled as he rubbed his head where he had hit it on the window. "I didn't mean it like that."

"It sure sounded like that was how you meant it." Kagome was determined to now. She would save Myoga. She could do this. Any sick scenario Naraku dreamed up in his mind to prove he was better, she would beat. She had intellectually kicked his ass before and she could do it again.

Even if he was the one making the rules and changing them as he pleased.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Kikyo screamed in fury as she through the glass of water on her desk against the wall.

The shattering and splash helped ease her anger a bit so she picked up her chair and threw it against her window.

That glass shattered as well and glass and chair rained down outside her office.

Yura, kidnapped.

She began throwing and breaking the many collectables, some of them priceless, she had decorating the room.

Kanna and Kagura, dead.

She tossed her computer monitor to the floor and heard the satisfying crunch and snap of breaking electronics.

Naraku, rogue.

She picked up the CPU and hurled it at the door.

The hole it left didn't quite go all the way through but the computer itself made a very nice clash.

How dare he betray her like this? How dare he!

Kikyo tossed over her desk in her anger then turned to her bookshelf.

She began grabbing books at random and ripping the pages from them, imagining it was Naraku's entrails she was disemboweling instead.

With each shred of ripping paper, Kikyo cursed.

When that proved not enough, she grabbed the bookcase itself and pushed it over.

It hit the toppled desk and the wood splintered at the impact.

Kikyo stood in the middle of her destroyed office, her breathing heavy.

Calm down, girl, she told herself.

Destroying things was making her feel better but it was not going to fix the problem.

Even as she began thinking up a plan, a way to fix what that lunatic was so carelessly upsetting, her door opened cautiously.

"What!" she snapped and the person on the other side flinched.

It was her, for all intents and purposes, secretary. A small, scared little girl Kikyo kept around by holding her family hostage. Maybe she would kill them just to ease her anger.

"M-Ma'am." she stuttered in fear. "T-the security t-team said that s-someone is c-coming towards the mansion."

"What?" Kikyo looked confused. Who would dare intrude on her at this moment? Whoever it was surely wanted their head ripped off.

"They s-sent this p-picture." the girl held out a photo that Kikyo snatched from her, scratching her as she did so.

The silver haired image on it perked her mood up instantly.

"Oh, look." she giggled cheerfully. "He's coming right to me. How perfect. Who is that on his back?"

"I-I don't-"

"Oh it doesn't matter." Kikyo waved her silent.

Did it matter? She was ready for that over powered oaf. Maybe she would even hold him hostage to get Kagome to do as she wanted again.

"I'm going to my special room." she told the girl as she left her office. "And for heaven's sake, clean this place up. It's a mess."


	30. Log 29

**Log 29**

It wasn't really a surprise to her, not really.

Still, it was strange for Kagome to pull up to the charred remains of what had once been her home, the birthplace of Inuyasha, and sight where her life had changed in so many ways.

"So this is it, huh?" Miroku looked out the windows at it, a bit surprised.

The sun was just starting to touch the horizon, it's bright rays still lighting the sky and throwing everything into sharp relief.

"This_ was_ it." Kagome corrected, not jumping out of the car immediately. First...

"Miroku, listen to me." Kagome took a deep breath, stealing her nerves. "I need you to do something."

"Anything." he promised sincerely.

"I need you to leave." she told him, looking his square in the eye.

"Anything but that." he shook his head. "I'm not letting you do this alone.

"You have to." Kagome told him. "I really need you to do this for me."

"Not going to happen." Miroku told her stubbornly. "Inuyasha would kill me and he'd be justified.

"Miroku-"

"Not going to happen." he said slowly as if to drive the point home.

"Just. Listen." Kagome said deliberately throwing words he had already used back at him. "I need you to understand."

Miroku smiled without humor, recognizing the words as he turned to her to let her speak.

Ten minutes later, with a sigh and a nod, he said, "Fine."

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Gee, she likes luxury doesn't she?" Sango asked hypothetically as they looked at the mansion Kikyo called home. "Have you ever actually met this broad?"

"No." Inuyasha shook his head. "Why are we out here and not in there getting Kagome back?"

"Because running in blind is how we usually end up in trouble." Sango reminded him.

Inuyasha growled in frustration but he knew she was right. However, every cell of his being wanted nothing more than to tear the place apart brick by brick looking for Kagome.

Still, it was a bit odd.

Facing Kagome didn't feel like meeting his maker. It felt first like getting together with a childhood friend and now it was like coming home every time his eyes landed on her. That's just how important she was to him.

However this, coming her, this did feel how he imagined meeting his maker must feel.

True, the faceless woman named Kikyo had little to do with him from a creation stand point. She did, on the other hand, provide all the funds and equipment needed to make him. So, in a way, it was like meeting his maker. And while it filled him with a dark sort of excitement, it also energized him.

These were the kinds of things he had, literally, been designed to do. And there were very few times Inuyasha didn't have to hold back for fear of breaking something or someone.

For the first time in a while, he could be just as dangerous as he wished and he didn't have to fear hurting anyone.

The feeling of freedom it brought made him eager to start and knowing Kagome was there somewhere, trapped, made his desperate to get it done.

But that didn't make Sango any less right. He had to listen to her and think this through.

"Now, what do we know from Yura?" she asked as someone moaned in pain behind them.

All the guards Kikyo had stationed were more than sufficient for any normal threat but against Inuyasha's anger they were nothing.

"That we've actually done a lot more damage to Kikyo than Kikyo would like to admit." Inuyasha snarled gleefully. He was trying to maintain a certain sense of composure, not to give himself over to his baser instincts but the thrill of the hunt was humming in his veins, making it difficult.

"We know that Kikyo knows you." Sango corrected. "Even if Naraku didn't pay attention when you were being created, Kikyo did. She received reports from Kagome all the time and she obsessed over them.

"And?" Inuyasha popped the knuckles in his hands and neck.

"That means if you have any weaknesses, Kikyo is likely to know them." Sango told him sternly, not liking the look of bloodlust coming over her partner's face.

"Weaknesses." Inuyasha very nearly snorted in derision.

"No matter how perfect you think you are, I'm certain you're not." Sango grabbed his arm and nearly regretted it when she saw his eyes dart to the appendage and his arm twitch like he was ready to rip it off. "Nothing is perfect. We need to be careful."

"We need to stop talking about this and go and get this over with." Inuyasha snarled at her as his instincts to protect overcame his sense.

He ran forward, ripping himself out of Sango's grasp and burst in through the front doors.

"No!" Sango cried in dismay, running after him but by the time she crossed the threshold, Inuyasha was already gone and she was alone.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome watched without regret as Miroku took the wheel of his car and turned it around, driving away without her.

She stood there, watching as the taillights faded into the distance.

Either she had just made an enormous mistake or she was saving them all. But she had to do what she thought was right and it was this.

Hardening her heart, preparing herself, mentally, for anything, Kagome turned from the road and back to the burnt husk that was once her laboratory.

It wasn't hard to find Naraku's trail.

Rain and wind had worn down the ashes and clearly no one had made any effort to try and clean the place up. So finding the trail of a dragged body and the worn path was no issue.

Following it, however, was a bit more emotional than Kagome thought it would be.

This is the place where it all started, she realized as she climbed her way across the wreckage.

The melted and twisted metal, the charred wood and electronics, and the faint scent of chemicals the fire hadn't quite burned away.

Was there any surprise that the blackened wasteland wasn't familiar to her?

Still, Kagome could follow the drag marks to the center of what had once been a rather large building.

And there she found that there was one thing that had been unaffected by the chemical fire that had razed everything else to ash.

Cleared off, though not cleaned of soot and blackening ash, was a sturdy glass and metal door on the ground. It led, Kagome knew to a basement that had once been used to store chemicals that couldn't be exposed to light. It was a miracle that the fire hadn't burned straight through it. She could, however, see hardened metal drops like it had started melting and the glass had certainly warped.

It was, however, still in tact and clearly useable.

Kagome took a deep breath and let the cool twilight air blow over her.

If this was the last she would see of the daylight, at least it was a pretty sight.

Resigning herself to her fate, whatever that may be, Kagome reached down and grabbed the handles of the door firmly in her hand.

At least, she thought with a smile as she turned to take one last look at the wreckage, she had done everything she could do to keep her precious monster from being used for evil.

Her logs had all been destroyed, Inuyasha was a man now and more than capable of defending himself and he knew her wishes. And as for the hybrid developing in the lab at headquarters...

Kagome smiled to herself.

Sometimes, she surprised herself with how amazing her creations could be and how well they could follow her designs.

She twisted the handles slightly and pulled open the door.

It was heavier than she thought it was and it made quite a lot of noise being opened. Not that she was planning on sneaking up on him.

Kagome found herself looking down at a case of stairs. These, she thought, were familiar. She had walked these steps before.

And here she was again.

Without another backwards glance, Kagome descended the stairs to face her past.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Miroku drove like a madman. He had already tried calling Inuyasha but received no response. Praying that nothing was going wrong, he sped right past headquarters and continued on.

This was definitely not how he had planned to end things. He knew things here would have to end but he had really hoped they would be more on his terms.

Still, at least, by morning, it would finally be over and done with.

Either they would be dead, or they would be out of Japan. No matter how it turned out, it was more than likely, they would never return here.

Miroku made one stop, he screeched to a halt in front of the Sunset Shrine, Kagome's family's shrine.

He took a napkin from his glove compartment, scribbled a note real fast, and jumped from his car.

After taking one, slightly lingering look at Kagome's childhood home, Miroku slipped the napkin into the family mailbox.

Then he ran back to his car, jumped back in, and slammed on the gas.

He had fulfilled his obligation to the family of a woman who's life he was helping destroy, now it was time to get back to business.

Kagome was dealing with Naraku, and as soon as he got a hold of Inuyasha he would have him deal with Kikyo.

And until then, Miroku would see to it that, if they lived, they would be able to get out in one piece.

He tried Inuyasha's cell again but still received no answer. So he tried Sango's and, swearing colorfully, threw it down onto the passenger side seat when no one picked up.

Desperate, he turned his car back to headquarters.

Thirty minutes later, swearing as he ran back to his car, Miroku realized Inuyasha and Sango were already long gone.

No one had told them where Kagome had gone so the only thing to assume was that they had already run off to Kikyo's assuming the worst.

Meaning Miroku had less time than he thought.

He grabbed his phone and tried calling Kagome, knowing it was probably futile.

As he thought, it went straight to voice mail.

Before he could start to panic, Miroku told himself to calm down.

These people were more than capable of taking care of themselves. Doing this was exactly what they had been trained to do. With the exception of Kagome, all of them had experience with this kind of thing.

Miroku had to squash down the need to run to one of them and make sure they got out of everything all right.

He was the only one who could get them out, even if everyone survived they would be depending on him once this was over.

He had stopped into the lab, he had seen the hybrid Kagome had left suspended in the artificial womb.

It was already nearly half the size of Miroku's own hand. The thing was growing, and fast.

Resisting the urge to burn more rubber and speed off to go take care of things on his end, Miroku took a second to calm his heart rate, to remind himself that he was the leader of this gang of misfits and he had to be cool under this pressure.

Once he was certain he had himself under control, Miroku turned his car back on and drove, almost sedately, out of the garage of headquarters.

Repeating a calming mantra to himself, trying to set his movements by it's calm pace, he drove steadily and legally.

The sun was halfway through setting now. How was time seeming to fly by so quickly now when it had dragged so slowly before?

No matter, all that mattered was being ready.

Running over the list of all he had to do in his head, Miroku pointed his headlights to the pier the long awaited dream boat that floated there.


	31. Log 30

**Log 30**

Inuyasha paused, taking a deep breath of the air around him.

Without thought, without care for consequence, Inuyasha was ripping his way through the mansion Kikyo called home. Behind him was a clear path of destruction. Doors ripped from their hinges, furniture upended and shredded, even a few walls Inuyasha had no patience to find a door through.

He was beyond thought, beyond rationality. He was all instinct and drive. Drive to find that which meant more to him than even his own life.

He sniffed the air, searching for the familiar, loving scent of the woman who he sought.

Yet again, he smelled nothing.

It didn't mean much. She might still be too far away, through too many barriers, for him to smell. She might be underground. She might even be in a room that had a separate ventilation system than the rest of the mansion.

But Inuyasha was determined. Even more than his desire to kill the woman named Kikyo, he needed to find Kagome and assure himself that she was safe. Only then would he be able to calm himself down.

Deciding that she wasn't here, Inuyasha ran on, crashing down another door as he did so.

Nothing would stop him.

Nothing.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Damn." Sango paused, breathing hard as she looked around her.

Inuyasha's path was easy to follow but the damn hybrid mutant was so damn fast Sango was never going to catch up to him. Part of her thought it might be best to try and head him off but she had no idea where he was going or how to get there herself.

She decided to recheck some of her notes from their interviews with Yura, maybe there was some clue about a prison or some kind of holding area for captives she had missed.

However, when Sango pulled out her phone she saw she had 18 missed calls, all from Miroku.

"Jeez." she mumbled. Deciding he wouldn't blow up her phone for no good reason, and that he wouldn't do it just because she hand Inuyasha left no note about where they were going, Sango clicked the call back button.

The phone had barely started to ring before Miroku's irritated voice filled her speaker, "_Why in the hell haven't you answered!"_

"Nice to hear from you, too." Sango rolled her eyes. She should really continue her futile chase of Inuyasha but it was tiring. "What did you want?"

"_Where are the two of you? We have some serious issues here!"_

"Yeah, yeah. We know." Sango thought maybe this call really had been pointless. "Kagome's been kidnapped. Don't worry, we're already on it. I've got everything under...control." Okay, the last part was a lie but she would get it back together eventually.

"_No, she wasn't!" _Miroku snapped making Sango's back straighten in surprise.

"What?"

"_That's what I've been trying to tell you!" _he sighed exasperatedly. "_It wasn't Kagome, it was Myoga. And it wasn't Kikyo, it was Naraku!"_

"Naraku?" Sango repeated. "Why would he kidnap Myoga?"

"_So he could get Kagome to come to him willingly." _

"Well, damn." Sango shook her head. "Don't worry, we'll change directions and head there now."

"_Don't bother."_ Miroku sighed. "_She's already there and well beyond our reach. We're moving up our schedule. You and Inuyasha stay there and take down Kikyo."_

"And leave Kagome alone?" Sango began running after Inuyasha again. He would not be happy when he heard about this. "Like dog boy would let that happen."

"_You have no choice."_ was the reply. "_Things are already in motion and we're on a deadline."_

"Are you okay?" Sango asked, noticing the hitch in his voice. He sounded winded, almost distracted. "What's wrong?"

"_Don't worry about it_." he said unhelpfully making her roll her eyes again.

"Miroku." she growled. "Now is not the time for you to be cryptic and mysterious. I have some serious issues here, you know."

There was a pause followed by, "_Please tell me Inuyasha is right beside you."_

"I wish." Sango smiled. "Don't worry about it. He's a big, bad boy and can take care of himself."

"_No!" _ Miroku groaned unhappily. "_That was the other thing I needed to tell you. Kagome needs me to pass on a message."_

"Why the hell did you let her go off alone anyway?" Sango asked. "Inuyasha is going to kill you."

"_I owed her one. A big one."_ Miroku hedged.

"This wouldn't happen to be about whatever the hell it is you two are keeping from us, would it?" Sango glared at her phone wondering if he could feel the heat of her gaze through the line.

Another pause. A sigh. "_I asked her to make another hybrid for my bosses."_

"You did not." Sango reminded herself to smack him later then she realized that Kagome must have done it. "Oh, no. She didn't, did she?"

"_She did exactly as I asked."_ Miroku said.

Which, Sango realized, didn't actually answer her question. She opened her mouth to question him again but remembered that the very bosses who asked for the hybrid could be listening in on the call. So she changed her words to, "Miroku, what the hell is going on?"

"_Just listen."_ he said instead, his voice stern and serious. "_Kagome told me to tell Inuyasha that he's not infallible."_

"What?" Sango asked.

"_Do you honestly think that someone as smart as Kagome would create a being so much stronger than us without giving us a way to destroy him if things went south." _Miroku asked. "_If he put any effort into it, he could do some serious damage to the human race and, if there were enough of them, they might be able to destroy humans completely. He has built in fail safes to keep things like that from happening."_

"Oh, good Kami." Sango groaned. "Please don't tell me he melts or something with the push of a button."

"_Don't be ridiculous." _Sango could practically hear his eyes roll. "_It's nothing so sci-fi. But you have to find him and tell him."_

"Alright." Sango nodded turning to follow Inuyasha's path of destruction. "I'm listening."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome groaned as she slowly regained the consciousness she hadn't even realized she had lost. Her head felt foggy but her awareness was returning.

She ran through the last things she remembered.

She had returned to the burned out lab, opened the basement doors.

Then she walked down the stairs then...

Kagome shook her head, trying to help clear the fog faster.

Then...

At the bottom of the stairs, against the far wall. There had been a sign.

Kagome sat up, she had been laying face down on the floor. She grabbed her head, clenching her eyes shut trying to remember.

The sign said...

The sign said...

What did the sign say?

'Breath deep'.

That's right.

Breath deep.

Then a hose fell from the ceiling, spraying some kind of gas in her face.

It must have knocked her out.

How much time had passed? And, more importantly, where was she now?

Kagome opened her eyes.

It was a small room, smaller even than a prison cell. It had no decorations and only a single bulb burning dully from the ceiling.

Besides that, there was a door and a small monitor beside it just a bit bigger than her hand.

This was Naraku's game, Kagome reminded herself. She was playing by his insane rules.

She got to her feet, only losing her balance once, but felt better once she was upright. Whatever he had sprayed her with, it didn't have any long term affects.

Knowing better than to think it was unlocked but still willing to try, Kagome reached for the knob and turned.

No surprise.

Locked.

A dark laugh filled the tiny room, coming from the screen's tiny speakers.

It flashed once then Naraku's face filled it, looking mockingly at her.

"_You fell right into my trap."_ he gloated.

"It's not a trap if I knew it was coming." Kagome rolled her eyes. True, she hadn't known exactly what to expect but she wasn't so stupid to think that Myoga would be waiting for her at the end of the basement stairs with a bow around his neck.

"_Shut up!"_ Naraku snapped. "_I am the one in control here, not you."_

"Alright, Naraku." Kagome nodded once. "I'll play your sick game. What's going on here?"

"_This."_ Naraku smiled gleefully, glad she had acknowledged his superiority. He clicked a key on the keyboard in front of him then the screen changed.

"Myoga!" Kagome cried thankfully as the old man's face filled her view. Then the camera zoomed back, showing his environment.

He was trapped, cuffed, on a long metal grade suspended about ten feet above a big vat that was boiling, what appeared to be, water.

"_You can only see it, so I doubt you recognize what he's suspended over_." Naraku's voice came over the speaker. Myoga obviously couldn't see or hear her. "_But I'm such a nice guy, so I'll tell you. That is a 15 percent sodium hydroxide with water mixture boiling at a very toasty 93 degrees Celsius."_

"You wouldn't!" Kagome cried out in horror.

"_I would."_ she could hear the joy in his voice. "_In about an hour, the mechanism on that lift will switch on and the old man will be lowered into the vat. I'm not sure what will kill him first. The boiling hot temperatures, drowning, or the pain of being dissolved by the lye."_

"How could you?" Kagome felt terrified as she watched the screen and the weekly moving Myoga. Tears pricked at her eyes and she wished desperately for Inuyasha to be beside her.

"_You can stop it."_ Naraku promised. "_See that switch there, on the far right? That controls everything. All you have to do is flip it and the entire thing stops. The bed wont fall and the heater for the lye will turn off, letting it cool. Then you can maneuver him down and get him off safely."_

"And how do I get to the switch?" Kagome asked, feeling nauseous.

She was a scientist. She knew it would take about 3 hours for a body to completely dissolve in lye, not including the bones which would turn brittle. However, the burns sustained from being totally submerged in the stuff would be enough to kill the poor old man. She couldn't stop her brain from playing out the scenario, horrifically, in her mind. The base would dissolve his flesh, liquifying him the moment it breached his skin and got to the softer, easier to destroy, organs inside. It would take three hours to liquify the body, but only a few, painful, agonizing moments, to kill him.

The screen flashed back to Naraku who was grinning widely, unable to hide his glee at Kagome's horror.

"_Well, you have to play my game_." he said. "_I've gone through quite a lot of trouble to make this place for you. Think of it as a maze and you're my lab rat. Only, instead of twists and turns to go through to get to the old man, there's a serious of doors. Each one can only be unlocked by solving the problem I've set for you. They start of easy and get harder as you go. There are ten in total, not including the one in front of you now, if you get through them all in time you can save the old man."_

The screen flashed again, this time bringing up a dark red clock reading 60:00. "_You have one hour, Kagome. Ten doors, less than ten minutes a piece. Move fast and you can save him."_

"_Go."_

Kagome heard the click of the door unlocking.


End file.
